Manchester United have submitted their first offer to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko ahead of Newcastle United, according to reports in Germany.
Newcastle submitted their opening bid for Sesko over the weekend but their offer of €75m (£65.5m) up front, plus an additional €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses, was rejected by RB Leipzig.
Eddie Howe’s side have followed that up with an improved offer of €80m (£69.5m) for the 22-year-old striker, who scored 13 goals in the Bundesliga last season.
According to Bild, United have now officially entered the race by submitting their own bid for Sesko worth €80m (£69.5m).
The report adds that Sesko has told both United and Newcastle that he would be open to joining them.
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Last week, reports in Slovenia had suggested that Sesko had opted to join Newcastle ahead of United.
Sesko was left out of RB Leipzig’s penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer against Atalanta on Saturday.
‘Due to very concrete interest from several clubs, we decided he wouldn’t play today,’ said RB Leipzig’s sporting director, Marcel Schafer.
‘When I say there’s been strong interest and clubs have approached us directly, it’s obvious what that means.
‘I want to make it clear that this doesn’t mean he’s already on his way to another club. And it also doesn’t mean that Benji won’t play next week.’
Sesko will also not take part in first-team training with RB Leipzig on Tuesday due to the ongoing talks over his future.
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