Man Utd make Leipzig's Sesko top striker target

Manchester United have made RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko their number one choice to come in as a new striker this summer.

Sesko has been heavily linked with Newcastle over the past few days amid increasing uncertainty over the future of Alexander Isak.

However, there has been contact between United and RB Leipzig over the 22-year-old Slovenian.

Sesko has an informal agreement with the Bundesliga club that means he would be able to leave if an elite club came in with an offer in the region of £70m.

United are also interested in Ollie Watkins but Aston Villa have made it clear they do not want to sell the 29-year-old.

There is an acceptance at Old Trafford that they cannot overpay for the England forward, given he would have little resale value.

Sesko does not fit Ruben Amorim's preferred template of having Premier League experience.

However, he has become one of the most highly rated young forwards in Europe - and his record of 39 goals in 87 appearances for RB Leipzig is impressive.

At 6ft 5in he would also bring a significant physical presence to United's front line.

Old Trafford sources say they do not have to sell players in order to make more signings, despite spending almost £130m on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer.

But they do accept finance will have to be generated - with buyers still to be found for the remaining members of their 'bomb squad', Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, who were excluded from the current Premier League Summer Series in the United States.