Man Utd recommended Benjamin Sesko alternative if 'glamorous' transfer bid fails

Manchester United have been recommended Ollie Watkins instead of Nicolas Jackson, should they fail to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. The Slovenian centre-forward is at the heart of a tug-of-war between the Red Devils and Newcastle. Both Premier League clubs have a shortlist of alternative options should they miss out on signing Sesko, with Watkins and Jackson believed to be on them.

And Michael Owen, a scorer of 150 Premier League goals across 326 appearances, believes Watkins should be top of that list for United if Sesko heads to Newcastle. Ruben Amorim is revolutionising a frontline that scored just 44 goals in 38 league games last term. That has seen him recruit Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo from Wolves and Brentford respectively this summer, for a combined £133.5million. Sesko is likely to cost them over £80m if he joins from Leipzig.

Jackson is a Plan B option for both clubs, but Owen says the 24-year-old Senegalese striker, who scored 13 goals in 37 games for Chelsea last season, is not as reliable a goalscorer as Watkins to be the main man.

Asked if he can be the No.1 centre-forward for United or Newcastle, Owen told Express Sport on behalf of AskGamblers: "Possibly not. I rate him. I think he's a good player.

"(Alexander) Isak are the shoes you've got to fill, and it's going to be impossible to fill those shoes if he were to go to Newcastle. And from Manchester United's point of view, if they want to get back to the top of the Premier League, then I think they probably have to set their sights a little higher than someone Chelsea are willing to let go of.

"It's not like Chelsea are winning the league every year and they have an abundance of talent that might strengthen a team a little bit below them. Chelsea finished fourth last year.

"If they're looking to improve that position by offloading him, then I don't think Manchester United would want the sloppy seconds there. But he is talented. If I were a Manchester United fan, I'd be hoping for someone a bit more glamorous."

Owen feels Sesko would be a more exciting and 'glamorous' signing than Watkins, but believes the Villa frontman would be a more dependable No.9 than Jackson. He added: "I think you probably know what you're going to get more with Watkins, if he were available. But Sesko is probably the glamour signing.

"He could be anything; he could take to the Premier League like a duck to water and suddenly become a superstar. Whereas I think you pretty much know what you're going to get with Ollie Watkins.

"I think fans tend to prefer the foreign, glamorous signings more than somebody they've been watching for a long time and know what they are going to get. The thrill of not exactly knowing what you're going to uncover in your new signing is a big one for fans, so maybe Sesko would be the number one choice."

Should United or Newcastle miss out on Sesko, though, then Watkins could be the man they go to next. It has been claimed the England international, who turns 30 in December, is ready for a new adventure after five seasons at Villa Park, in which he has plundered 75 goals in 184 appearances.

Owen added of United: "If they were to get a number nine, then they would look like they've got quite a potent attack now. Their pre-season games have been quite positive. Who knows, it's hard to read too much into pre-season. It does look like they've made that a priority (attack).

"They haven't scored enough goals in recent seasons. That has been a huge problem for them. And you know what? If they get a better attack, then they'll probably defend a lot better. The pressure won't be so much on the defence if they're attacking all the time and they've got players that aren't giving the ball away all of the time, putting their defence under pressure.

"Watkins might be a bit more difficult. I'm not sure what Aston Villa have got. If they let Watkins go, what do they have to replace him? So far, they have been going for Premier League experience, but we'll see. It's been a weak position for Manchester United for some time now, so it's good to see them addressing it."

For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express MUFC newsletter, or join our WhatsApp community here.