Leipzig reject Newcastle bid for Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig have turned down a €75 million plus €5 million bid from Premier League giants Newcastle United for Benjamin Sesko over the weekend, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Jacobs adds that Newcastle’s €75 million fixed fee aligned with Leipzig’s quoted valuation, but the overall package was deemed unacceptable due to its total value and structure.

Newcastle face mounting pressure to address their striker shortage as the Premier League season nears, especially after losing Callum Wilson following the expiration of his contract this summer.

Meanwhile, the 2024/25 English League champions, Liverpool, have been aggressively pursuing Newcastle in recent weeks, aiming to revamp their squad with an initial bid exceeding £100 million for Swedish striker Alexander Isak, which has already been turned down.

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Despite an unsuccessful official offer, it is believed to have fallen short of Newcastle’s £150 million valuation for Isak, who still has three years left on his contract.

Isak, who bagged 23 goals across all competitions for Newcastle last season, has expressed his desire to explore options during this transfer window following an informal approach from Liverpool a few weeks ago.

Eddie Howe’s side intended to plan for replacing Isak and Wilson well before the season, but their delay has instead prompted Liverpool to abandon their pursuit of Isak from the Magpies.

Read more: Liverpool have ‘no plans’ to bid for Alexander Isak

Newcastle must now redouble their efforts to move ahead of Manchester United in the race for Sesko, following initial club-to-club and player discussions. However, reports suggest the striker favors a move to Old Trafford despite the lack of Champions League football.

Indications suggest that Leipzig are maintaining their initial demands from when Arsenal were pursuing the transfer, before securing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

Leipzig are reportedly hopeful—and some sources suggest waiting—for a Man United offer to spark a competitive transfer tag of war.

As of Saturday afternoon, the 22-year-old has not yet indicated a preference between the clubs, despite Slovenian reports suggesting he has already chosen Newcastle.

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