Man United have their own Alexander Isak as Benjamin Sesko transfer bombshell drops

Man United have their own Alexander Isak as Benjamin Sesko transfer bombshell drops

With Sesko eyeing Newcastle and Hojlund unsettled, 17-year-old Chido Obi-Martin could be Amorim’s unexpected answer up front

Chido Obi-Martin of Manchester United (Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)

If reports coming out of Slovenia are true, linking Benjamin Sesko with a decided move to Newcastle, Ruben Amorim may be entering this Premier League season with a striking dilemma.

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Despite Rasmus Hojlund making his transfer stance clear earlier this week, outlining his intentions to "stay and fight" for his spot in the side, the Dane is still heavily rumoured to be heading for an exit from Old Trafford.

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Graeme Bailey told TBRFootball that Hojlund knows Amorim doesn't see him as his No.1 striker. United had pushed for Liam Delap earlier this summer, but the Englishman ultimately chose Chelsea ahead of their Club World Cup campaign.

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Now, the Reds are heavily linked with 22-year-old superstar Benjamin Sesko, along with Newcastle. United remain in talks with RB Leipzig over a move, but a recent report from Slovenian newspaper Delo claims Sesko has decided to join the Magpies, with Eddie Howe's proposal seemingly topping that of United’s.

With less than a month to go until transfer deadline day - September 1 - United may need to reconsider their striker philosophy. Instead of looking outward, Amorim could look within his squad, where a series of youngsters are awaiting their chance to prove themselves.

One of those is Chido Obi-Martin, a 17-year-old who has been compared to Alexander Isak, one of the hottest strikers in world football at the moment.

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The Danish striker joined United from Arsenal’s academy following a series of incredible performances. Obi-Martin scored 10 goals in one match against Liverpool U16 and bagged a further seven against Norwich City at U18 level. He also smashed Arsenal’s U18 goals record.

United’s head of academy, Nick Cox, and their academy recruitment chief, Luke Fedorenko, spearheaded the move.

He played 160 minutes under Amorim last season and scored two goals in United’s 3–1 victory over Hong Kong in their opening pre-season friendly.

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When the move to United was confirmed, the Manchester Evening News spoke to football.london’s chief Arsenal writer Kaya Kaynak for insight into Obi-Martin and why Arsenal were desperate not to lose him.

“Arsenal were really keen to keep him,” Kaynak said. “They pulled out all the stops and were confident of doing so after keeping other young talents like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly in recent years.

“However, they do feel they offered all they were willing to offer. With that in mind, there’s a feeling of acceptance at the decision Chido has decided to take.”

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When talking about what kind of player Obi-Martin is, Kaynak compared him to Premier League powerhouse Isak. He said: “It’s a bit hard to say as he’s still so young, but one thing he seems to be very good at is scoring goals.

“He’s quite a bit taller than most others around his age group right now and looks stylistically a bit similar to Alexander Isak with his languid running and technical ability.

“There’s clearly a high-potential player in there. He’s someone who can score lots of goals and that’s not easy to find. The big test for him will be seeing how he steps up through the age groups. If he manages that though, United have a real player on their hands.”

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If Amorim is to give Chido a chance this season, don’t expect him to suddenly reach Isak’s level, he’s still only 17. But there certainly looks to be a top-quality player within the United striker.

United’s attempt to sign two class strikers in Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, setting them back £108.5m, hasn’t worked as of yet. Both players scored seven goals combined in the Premier League last season.

With Sesko reportedly turning down a move to Old Trafford, Amorim may just need to give Obi-Martin a chance.

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