Newcastle United are reportedly stepping up their interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko - a player dubbed ‘the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’.
The 20-year-old Slovenian has been compared to both Ibrahimovic and his Leipzig predecessor Erling Haaland after joining the Bundesliga side from Red Bull Salzburg last summer.
His form has seen the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea monitor his progress, but Teamtalk report that Newcastle are ‘intensifying their scouting’ of the powerful striker amid the belief that Callum Wilson is expected to depart St James’ Park at the end of the season.
Sesko stands at 6ft 5in, combining speed and strength in a manner reminiscent of his hero, Ibrahimovic.
“Zlatan Ibrahimovic was my idol,” Sesko told The Guardian in 2023. “I’m not saying I play like him but he was having fun, enjoying himself on the pitch, doing what he wanted to do. It makes me really happy when I see that kind of player. Every single video I could find, I was looking at him.”
The Magpies’ reported interest in Sesko comes ahead of what is likely to be a key window for the team. While Eddie Howe and company do not yet know if they will be playing European football next season or not, the club will need to keep a keen eye on their spending levels in order to meet their profit and sustainability obligations.
Any potential move for Sesko would likely increase speculation on the future of Alexander Isak at the club. A number of teams including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with the striker in recent weeks, with the Swede’s admirers no doubt hoping they would be able to convince the Magpies to sell the forward in order to fund further signings.
However, with Isak about to enter his prime years and given how highly the 24-year-old is rated as St James’ Park, a preferable situation would be to accommodate Sesko and Isak in the same team, which could potentially see Isak moved out to the left.
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