Benjamin Sesko set off 'alarm bells' at Arsenal as Man Utd given cause for concern

Arsenal opted against the signing of Benjamin Sesko in order to signViktor Gyokeresafter deeming the RB Leipzig striker a high risk. Mikel Arteta's side finally announced the arrival of the Swede last month in what had been one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer window.

The two key striker targets for the Gunners ended up being Gyokeres and Sesko, but it was the 27-year-old who was preferred, with Sesko now at the centre of a battle between Manchester United and Newcastle United.

There was a time when the Slovenian, 22, looked set for a move to north London considering the club had amassed a year's worth of background work on his progress at RB Leipzig, according to ESPN.

READ MORE: Man Utd 'lodge £61m transfer bid' for Barcelona star Fermin Lopez

READ MORE: Truth behind Liverpool's Alexander Isak transfer stance as Newcastle fear comes to light

After engaging in preliminary talks with the Bundesliga outfit, Arsenal chiefs soon found that any deal for the promising forward would be too expensive for a player who has yet to realise his full potential.

The story reported that there were three main reasons for a deal for Sesko setting off "alarm bells" including the mammoth fee Leipzig were requesting as well as his own personal terms.

Having only had two seasons in a European top-five league - where he scored 21 goals across all competitions last season - sources said the club were wary about the mental demands Sesko would have to endure of being the player leading the Arsenal attack and whether he'd be able to handle the scrutiny.

While Gyokeres has yet to establish himself in one of Europe's premier domestic leagues, his stunning record of 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP as well as the confidence Arsenal had in the strength of his character saw them pull the trigger on a move for the striker.

Sesko is reportedly yet to decide his next move, with Newcastle seeing their bid of just under £70m rejected after they turned down Liverpool's £110m offer for Alexander Isak. While Ruben Amorim's side have yet to table a formal offer for the 22-year-old, they remain intensely interested in bolstering their attacking ranks with his signature.

However, Arsenal's reasons for pulling out of a deal for him could spark some concern at United, who know all about spending big money on young strikers who end up struggling to justify their price tag.

The potential arrival of Sesko could spell the end of Rasmus Hojlund's Old Trafford career as Amorim admitted he remains unsure of whether the Dane - who said he wants to fight for his place - will remain a United player by the end of the month.

United spent £72m on the 22-year-old and are already aware that his value has dropped significantly since joining due to his low scoring rate. They have reportedlyslashed his price tag and would be willing to listen to offers for him for just £30m.

Speaking after the striker scored in United's 4-1 win over Bournemouth in pre-season, the Red Devils boss said: "I'm really happy with Rasmus, but I don't know what is going to happen until the end of the market.

"The important thing is that the strikers who are here are working really well, they are improving, they are helping the team and that's the most important thing. The important thing is that Rasmus is scoring goals.

"He's connecting really well with the team. He's improving. Again, I don't know what is going to happen until the market is closed. We suffered a a lot because of the lack of goals last season. But I think not just the goals, but the way Rasmus connects the play.

"Every time we have to kick the ball, we are kicking the ball when we are more pressed. The ability for him to hold the defender and to connect in the support is helping us to play a lot better and we are playing better because he's playing better."

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.