Benjamin Sesko’s Haaland admission amid Newcastle links and intriguing 2019 transfer comments

Newcastle United have been caught up in a flurry of transfer speculation involving RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko in recent days, with the player’s agent exacerbating rumours after sharing a photo on social media of a visit to Tyneside earlier this week.

The Slovenian is widely regarded as one of the most promising teenage talents in the European game, and has already been capped 13 times at senior international level.

According to the Daily Mail, the Toon Army are ‘admirers’ of the forward, and consider him to be among a list of potential transfer targets this summer.

Talk of a possible pursuit has also been heightened after the player’s representative, Elvis Basanovic, recently made a trip to the North East.

The agent posted an Instagram story publicising a visit to Newcastle on Tuesday night.

The image, which showed Basanovic enjoying a meal on the Quayside, was deleted around 12 hours later, but not before gaining a huge amount of traction among Toon fans.

But how likely is it that the Magpies will make a move for Sesko this summer?

What has Basanovic said about Sesko’s future?

While Basanovic has stopped short of making any overt comments about his Sesko’s future in recent times, the agent made it very clear prior to his arrival in Austria that his client was in demand.

The young striker joined RB Salzburg in a deal worth around £2.25 million in 2019, but according to his agent, could quite easily have made a move to England already.

Speaking to SPOX, Basanovic said: “We had a lot of offers from really big clubs.

“Had we decided on the money, Benjamin would have moved to England or Italy. But we decided to look at the bigger picture and the Salzburg project.

“The biggest clubs in Europe tried to get him. The interest in him was huge; I have never seen anything like it before.

“Salzburg has given Benjamin a path. Here, he can develop. The people in charge really wanted him, which was important to us. Here he also has a greater chance of playing for the first team sooner or later.

“Benjamin is one of the greatest talents of his age group in Europe. He has an incredible body, is tall, fast, has great jumping ability, is technically gifted and his greatest strength is his finishing.”

What have RB Salzburg said about Sesko’s future?

Unsurprisingly, Salzburg have reiterated their desire to hang on to one of their brightest young assets.

As quoted by ChronicleLive, the Austrian club said: “The situation is very clear.

“Benjamin Sesko is a young and very important player for FC Red Bull Salzburg with a long-term contract and we are planning to play with him the season.”

What has Sesko said about his own future?

While Sesko has not directly addressed his next move, the 19-year-old has made it abundantly clear that he believes he can become one of the biggest stars in world football.

Speaking to reporters in Slovenia, the striker ambitiously referenced comparisons between himself and former Salzburg prospect Erling Haaland.

He said: “Such comparisons motivate me and give me energy. They do not represent pressure. I will listen and learn so I can be even better than he is.

“My team-mates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him!”