Newcastle United's bid for Šeško, the eye of the final storm this summer.

Written by/Han Bing The 22-year-old Slovenian striker Šeško may become the "first domino" in driving the transfer chain of top forwards this summer. After Newcastle's first offer was turned down last Saturday, on the evening of August 4th, prominent transfer expert Romano and British sports media reported that the Magpies had made a second offer. The total price of €90 million (including €80 million plus €10 million) is enough to attract the interest of Šeško's parent club, RB Leipzig. The Daily Mail even claimed that Newcastle hopes to finalize the deal within 24 hours, which also means that Isak's departure would clear the final obstacle.

Due to Isak's insistence on leaving and the imminent start of the Premier League, Newcastle must accelerate their search for a replacement. On Monday, Newcastle set a 48-hour deadline for Šeško's transfer; if an agreement is not reached by Wednesday, they will consider other options. Newcastle hopes to present a sufficiently high offer to meet RB Leipzig's expectations in one go. The Saudi owners confirmed a base transfer fee of €80 million to be paid upfront, with €10 million in performance-related clauses to be settled within 12 months.

British media revealed that RB Leipzig is ready to accept this irresistible offer and has informed Šeško to make a decision soon. Šeško missed RB Leipzig's recent warm-up matches due to transfer negotiations and has informed his teammates of his intention to leave. The Magpies aim to act quickly; previously, their targets Mbeumo, João Pedro, and Ekitike were snatched away, and if this pursuit for Šeško also fails, they must leave time to operate on deals for Vissa (Brentford) or Gonçalo Ramos (PSG).

Šeško's team leans towards the more influential Manchester United, but joining Newcastle means he can play in the Champions League next season. United's recruitment director Vivel was instrumental in Šeško's signing with RB Salzburg in 2019 and is seen as a "network advantage" for United in the pursuit of young strikers. Faced with Newcastle's aggressive approach, Manchester United has not given up. On the afternoon of August 5th, British sports media reported that United had submitted their first offer (€75 million plus €10 million), which, as expected, is lower than Newcastle's bid. Of course, United has a backup plan. Watkins (Aston Villa), Vlahović (Juventus), and Jackson (Chelsea) are all alternatives.

Now, this transfer of at least €85 million for a striker rests in Šeško's hands. He is like the calm center of a great storm, waiting for the final outcome.

His agent Barzanović is nervously negotiating personal terms with both Premier League giants, with Newcastle's weekly wage offer reaching £250,000 (€15 million annually), nearly double Šeško's current salary (€8 million), while Manchester United's initial weekly wage offer is only £130,000 (€9 million), which is not very competitive. The Magpies have also set Champions League appearance bonuses for Šeško, with a single match bonus of up to €500,000. Although Manchester United has followed up with an offer, both the amount and payment terms are at a disadvantage. Slovenian media outlet Delo has even announced: Šeško will become the new Alan Shearer.

29 years ago, Shearer (€15 million) set the transfer record for Newcastle and the Premier League, and now Šeško is set to break the transfer record held by Isak for Newcastle (€70 million). At the same time, Šeško will significantly refresh his own record for Slovenian players (€24 million). If all performance-related clauses are activated, he will be tied with Croatian defender Gvardiol as the highest transfer fee player from the Balkan region.

Once Šeško's transfer is successful, he will be the first domino to fall, triggering a series of transfers for top forwards this summer.

First, naturally, is Isak's record-breaking transfer to England. Although Newcastle rejected Liverpool's first offer, they know they cannot retain the player. After signing Šeško as a replacement, the transfer income from Isak will balance Newcastle's summer expenditures. Meanwhile, Manchester United, still needing a striker, will turn to pursue a replacement, which will also result in at least €60 million in major transactions. Additionally, Isak's transfer will accelerate Liverpool's forward line overhaul, with Núñez's transfer to the Saudi league bringing in at least €70 million, which, along with Díaz, will "fill the gap" left by Isak's transfer expenses.

Moreover, PSG, which plans to let go of Muani, is also looking for a new efficient striker after the setback in the Club World Cup. Juventus and Tottenham are both interested in Muani, while Juventus is also searching for a new home for Vlahović. Juventus has recommended the Serbian striker to Manchester United, but the Red Devils' response is that they will only consider it if they miss out on Šeško; currently, Vlahović's more likely destination is Milan. It can be said that Šeško's transfer at least influences the fates of four top clubs and four elite strikers. Everyone is waiting for his domino to fall quickly, triggering a series of chain reactions.