Manchester United's top choice for a striker is Šeško, insisting that they don't need to sell players first to make a signing! Alternatively, they might exchange for Højlund.

As reported by BBC expert Simon Stone, Manchester United has earmarked Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig as their preferred option for a new striker. Additionally, sources within the club maintain that they do not have to sell excess players before making acquisitions.

With Isak potentially moving to Liverpool, Newcastle United also considers Šeško their top alternative. However, Manchester United has already engaged with RB Leipzig regarding the Slovenian forward. It is understood that Šeško has an informal agreement with the club, allowing him to leave if a top club bids around £70 million, and Manchester United is on that list.

Manchester United is also interested in Aston Villa's Watkins, but Villa has made it clear they do not wish to sell the player. Moreover, insiders at United believe that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not pay a high price for the 29-year-old English forward due to his limited resale value. As a businessman, the 72-year-old Ratcliffe does not rule out selling players for profit in the future, hence he tends to prefer younger strikers. It is well known that their original first choice was English prospect Liam Delap.

Although Šeško does not meet Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim's criteria for a striker with Premier League experience and a mature playing style, he is regarded as one of the most highly-rated young forwards in Europe, having scored 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig, demonstrating greater efficiency than Watkins.

Last season, Šeško made 33 appearances in the Bundesliga, scoring 13 goals, while Watkins netted 16 goals in 38 Premier League matches for Villa. However, Šeško has a higher shot accuracy rate and possesses both speed and height. Standing over 190 cm tall, Šeško is agile despite his height, potentially providing a significant physical advantage to Manchester United's forward line.

Šeško can score from various distances and leads Watkins in several key metrics, although this does not include match appearances, as the Villa striker has double the experience of Šeško! Watkins' advantage lies in his adaptation to the Premier League and his proficiency in movement, having previously played as a winger.

Sources at Old Trafford told the BBC that despite spending nearly £133.5 million this summer on signings like Cunha and Mbeumo, Manchester United does not need to sell players to continue making signings.

However, they do acknowledge that the club must generate funds to avoid breaching the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules, meaning players like Garnacho, Sancho, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia from the "bomb squad" will still need to be sold.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has stated that Manchester United could consider a player-plus-cash exchange to reduce the transfer costs for a new striker. For instance, if they pursue Šeško, Højlund might become a bargaining chip.

Romano noted that Manchester United has proposed the possibility of a player swap during negotiations. Reportedly, 22-year-old Højlund is seen as a "DREAM target" for RB Leipzig. However, he also emphasized that Højlund wishes to remain at Manchester United and currently has no intention of entering transfer discussions with any club.

Earlier reports from British media indicated that Højlund would only consider leaving if Manchester United and Amorim explicitly informed him that he was surplus to requirements, which they have not done so far. However, the situation could change at any moment; if a new striker joins, given that Manchester United will not be participating in the Champions League next season, the rotation space is limited, making it likely that "the freight ship" could be put up for sale.