'I've coached Sesko and Erling Haaland - one was a much better all-round player'

Manchester United are chasing Red Bull Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who was once labelled a 'better player' than Erling Haaland by a former coach

Benjamin Sesko was once hailed as a better player than Manchester City's Erling Haaland by a coach who has worked with both stars. Manchester United's search for a new striker looks to have led them to Red Bull Leipzig's star forward, Sesko, although they haven't ruled out a move for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.

Sesko, 22, boasts an impressive record of 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig and has caught the eye of several top-flight English clubs. United are now poised to make their move for the much-admired striker, but face a battle for his signature with Newcastle.

Former Red Bull Salzburg coach Rene Aufhauser once shared his belief that Sesko could even surpass Haaland in terms of potential. Haaland, now 25, had a stint at Salzburg from 2019 to 2020, while Sesko played for the Austrian side between 2020-2023.

"Benjamin is maybe the better football player, better to play with the team, technically maybe better at the same age," Rene Aufhauser said to The Mail in 2022, when Sesko was just 19. "His natural movements are so good, he's 6ft 4in tall, fast and has very, very good physical ability.

"He's so smooth with the ball, very good technique, good finishing and he jumps so high. Very, very, good with the head. It's unbelievable.

"Erling [Haaland] was mentally a monster and (mentally) better at the same age," Aufhauser continued. "This is the last five, 10 per cent that Benji has to get."

While Sesko is younger, it's true that by 22 - the Slovenian's current age - Haaland had already scored his big-money move to City, where he won the Premier League in his maiden season with the Citizens. He has consistently been the league's most feared frontman since teaming up with Pep Guardiola, winning two top-flight titles and the Champions League.

While Sesko remains some way off Haaland's numbers in recent years, he still contributed to 18 goals for Leipzig last season as the club faltered in the Bundesliga, ultimately failing to qualify for the Champions League, reports the Manchester Evening News. Newcastle are also hot on the trail of Sesko, as they seek a replacement for Alexander Isak should he depart amidst strong links to Liverpool.

Sesko actually turned down United three years ago in favour of a move to Leipzig but is now eager to secure a high-profile transfer this summer. The Slovenian is contracted to Leipzig until 2029, but his agent, Elvis Basanovic, has kept the lines of communication open since United's initial approach and even visited their Carrington training complex.

So, if United do make a play for Sesko, does he have what it takes to succeed in the Premier League? Aufhauser felt that the three-time Slovenian Youth Footballer of the Year still had some way to go before he could be considered the complete package.

"He needs experience at this level and also maybe to learn to handle and deal with disappointment," he said in 2022. "Sometimes he wants to be perfect. He has to stay cool, stay calm and to wait for his next chance. This is maybe the biggest thing he has to learn."

Fast forward three years, armed with three Austrian Bundesliga titles and a goalscoring tally that would make many of Europe's top strikers envious, it seems Sesko might just be poised to take the leap to United – potentially challenging Haaland as one of England's most fearsome forwards.