Yan Diomande: How Sesko could help United win the race for Leipzig winger

Manchester United are preparing to weaponise the blossoming form of Benjamin Sesko in their bid to pip Liverpool to the signature of RB Leipzig prodigy Yan Diomande, sources have told SportsBoom.

Sesko, who joined United from Leipzig last summer in a £74 million transfer, endured a tentative start under former manager Ruben Amorim but has flourished since Michael Carrick took interim charge, registering five Premier League goals under the new regime. That upturn has convinced INEOS that a second raid on the Bundesliga club could pay dividends, this time for 19-year-old Ivorian winger Diomande.

Liverpool view Diomande as the long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, who confirmed he will leave Anfield at the end of the season, but United’s recruitment team have outlined a different role for the teenager. Club briefings describe the plan to surround Sesko, Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha with “ammunition” provided by Diomande’s explosive pace and direct dribbling.

Crucially, United believe Sesko’s existing relationships inside the Leipzig dressing room can tilt the race. The Slovenia striker departed the Red Bull Arena only weeks after Diomande arrived from Leganes in a £20 million deal, and he retains a strong bond with several teammates. Officials hope Sesko will urge those contacts to sell the “Theatre of Dreams” project to the winger, effectively turning friendship into a competitive edge.

Leipzig have slapped an £80 million valuation on a player who is still raw at the highest level, yet Europe’s elite are already on alert. After Diomande’s early showings in Spain, a Leganes staff member reportedly warned colleagues: “Be careful, we might have the new Lionel Messi,” a comparison that has followed the winger to Germany and now to the gossip columns of England.

For United, the appeal is obvious. Diomande operates predominantly on the left flank, offering the natural width that Carrick’s front line has at times lacked. His ability to stretch defences would complement Sesko’s intelligent running between the channels, while also creating space for Bruno Fernandes to dictate play in central pockets.

With Liverpool simultaneously scouring the market for Salah’s heir, the coming months promise a head-to-head duel that could be decided as much by off-field persuasion as on-field performances. United, armed with Sesko’s first-hand testimony and a clear tactical blueprint, believe they hold the trump card.