Manchester United have completed their third major move of the summer transfer window by signing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in a deal that could rise up to €85 million.
United are understood to be paying Leipzig an initial €76.5m plus a potential €8.5m in add-ons for the 22-year-old Slovenian who scored 39 goals in 87 games for the German club.
Sesko – who was also wanted by Newcastle United but decided on a move to Old Trafford – joins Bryan Mbeumo (€75m from Brentford) and Matheus Cunha (€74.2m from Wolves) as the club aim to bolster an attack that has struggled for goals in recent seasons.
United endured their worst their worst top-flight campaign in 51 years when they finished 15th last season and also lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Only four other teams scored fewer than United's 44 goals in 38 Premier League games.
Despite last season's struggles, that saw Erik ten Hag sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim, Sesko believes he is joining the “perfect place” to win trophies and improve as a player.
“The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future,” Sesko said in a statement on the club's website.
“When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.
“From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions.
“I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my teammates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together.”
Sesko is set to be unveiled to his new supporters on Saturday when United entertain Fiorentina at Old Trafford.
His Premier League bow should come next Sunday when Amorim's side are at home to Arsenal on the opening weekend of the new season.
Standing 1.95 metres tall, Sesko's towering physique, electric pace and eye for goal have earned comparisons with Manchester City's Erling Haaland. Like Haaland, he also made his name at RB Salzburg before moving to Germany in 2023.
United are banking on Sesko's potential to fire them back into contention at the top of the Premier League.
Between them, Sesko, Cunha and Mbeumo combined for 58 goals last season.
United director of football Jason Wilcox said: “Benjamin possesses a rare combination of electrifying pace and the ability to physically dominate defenders, making him one of the most exceptional young talents in world football.
“We have followed Benjamin's career closely; all of our data analysis and research concluded that he has the required qualities and personality to thrive at Manchester United.
“Working under the guidance of Ruben and our excellent performance team, Benjamin is joining the perfect environment to support him to reach his world-class potential.
“The desire that all of our new signings have shown to join the club this summer highlights the appeal and stature of Manchester United as we continue to build and develop a team capable of challenging for the biggest honours.”
The rebuild under Amorim continues to gather pace. While Mbeumo, Cunha and Sesko have been brought in, there are a number of players heading out.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Alejandro Garnacho were all told not to report back for preseason training with the rest of the squad as they looked to finalise moves away.
Rashford has since joined Barcelona on a 12-month loan with the Catalan giants having the option of signing the England international on a permanent deal.
Sancho has been linked to various clubs including Atletico Madrid and Juventus, Antony is keen to extend his successful loan spell at Real Betis for another season, while Scottish champions Celtic are reported to be interested in Malacia.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are in talks with United to sign Argentine winger Garnacho who is valued at £50m by the club.
Sesko's arrival could also mean Rasmus Hojlund heads for the exit with AC Milan keen to take the former Atalanta striker back to Serie A.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Kandahar%20
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
RESULTS
2.30pm Jaguar I-Pace – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt)
1,600m
Winner Namrood, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
(trainer)
3.05pm Land Rover Defender – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
1,400m
Winner Shadzadi, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm Jaguar F-Type – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Tahdeed, Fernando Jara, Nicholas Bachalard
4.15pm New Range Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
4.50pm Land Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Autumn Pride, Bernardo Pinheiro, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm Al Tayer Motor – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 T) 1,000m
Winner Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm Jaguar F-Pace SVR – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Scabbard, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
