Manchester United have set their sights on a striker reinforcement, with Danny Welbeck as the template! Barcelona reportedly covet Sesko—here’s the truth.

Manchester United are planning to bring in a new backup striker late in the summer window. According to the BBC’s Simon Stone, ex-academy product Danny Welbeck is the prototype of the center-forward the club currently desires, even if the 35-year-old Brighton player isn't necessarily the one who will join.

Stone elaborated: "I hear United are looking for a forward. In my view, they want a backup for Sesko. Over the past few years, there have been rumors that United were interested in signing Welbeck—I'm not saying they will actually pick him, but the club does have a tendency to target players of that profile. This would also help Sesko develop; he’s the starting striker, but he needs someone to share the scoring burden. And a player like Welbeck is perfectly capable of playing as a No. 9 in the Premier League or Champions League, while also helping Sesko mature into a more complete forward."

Welbeck scored 13 goals and provided one assist in the Premier League last season—better numbers than Sesko. With only one year left on his Brighton contract, he has long been considered an ideal candidate for United’s backup striker role in the summer window. He is experienced, mature, affordable, efficient in front of goal, and also counts as a homegrown player, helping the club meet Champions League squad registration requirements.

Manchester United’s first-team squad includes 25-year-old Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who is theoretically a center-forward but lacks the scoring ability to relieve pressure on Sesko. Statistics show that Zirkzee scored only two Premier League goals last season and three the season before—numbers more typical of a defender.

However, Zirkzee has excelled as a morale booster in the United dressing room, making him quite popular. Teammate Mason Mount revealed that Zirkzee is the administrator of the team’s group chat: "Zirkzee loves the group. Before the last game, there was a road closure on the way to training, so he warned us: 'That road is closed, don’t go that way, go this way.' He’s the best dancer, the news guy, even a human GPS. He’s brilliant."

No club has yet made an offer for Zirkzee, so he could still stay at the club. In contrast, starting striker Sesko has become a target for top clubs. Spanish newspaper *Marca* reports that Barcelona, having lost Robert Lewandowski, have listed Sesko as a potential transfer target.

It is well known that Barcelona’s top priority is Atlético Madrid’s Argentine forward Julián Álvarez, but the "Spider" comes at a hefty price—valued at over €100 million. Therefore, Barcelona have alternative options, including Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, Levante’s Eta Eyon, and Manchester United’s Sesko.

Barcelona sporting director Deco is said to be a fan of Sesko. However, they are well aware that United signed the 22-year-old Slovenian from RB Leipzig for €85 million last year, making a summer move for him virtually impossible. If they pursue another striker, Guirassy has a release clause in his contract, making a deal easier to complete.

But rumors from Madrid’s mouthpiece about Barcelona are essentially just "storytelling." United also have their own transfer tales: "Offside Insight" claims that United have drawn up a five-man shortlist for new forwards, including Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Juventus’ Dušan Vlahović, Bournemouth youngster Eli Junior Kroupi, and the recently departed Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski!

Among those mentioned, only French international Mateta has a realistic chance of joining United this summer. In the January window, he had agreed a £30 million move to AC Milan, but the deal fell through due to a knee injury that prevented him from passing the medical. Having scored 16 goals last season, Mateta is now valued at between £20 million and £25 million.