Ange Postecoglou embarrassed Arsenal with one word before Benjamin Sesko joined Man Utd

Arsenal failed in their pursuit of new Manchester United man Benjamin Sesko, who former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou dubbed "smart" for snubbing their north London rivals.

Mikel Arteta's hunt for a No. 9 ended this summer with the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP for £64million, but many targets had come and gone during this quest. Alongside the likes of Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, Sesko was firmly on the Gunners' radar, though after a snub 12 months ago, he was bypassed for Gyokeres, who himself batted away interest from United.

The 22-year-old talent will now lead Ruben Amorim's line for the upcoming Premier League season. He was the brunt of Postecoglou's Euros slant last year as the then-Spurs boss was queried about Sesko prior to Slovenia's group stage clash with England, and had a telling view on his Arsenal move that never was.

"I think a big club would have looked at him this year, and it's a smart move for him to stay there for another year," began Postecoglou on punditry duty for ITV during Euro 2024.

"I think there's still some development in him, but really good attributes for a striker position, for sure," he continued, speaking on the striker who had just penned a new deal with RB Leipzig to stave off interest.

Presenter Mark Pougatch then posed a question to the Australian, asking: "Is that the Tottenham manager saying it's a smart move not to go to Arsenal?"

A witty reply was produced by Postecoglou as he uttered: "No comment." This elicited laughter from all in the ITV studio, including Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane.

It was reported last summer that the Gunners were ready to activate Sesko's £55m release clause, but interest soon dwindled after the striker penned his new deal. Such speculation arose once again in January and this summer transfer window, but with an increased price tag set, their pursuit soon stopped, and Gyokeres was snapped up instead.

The Red Devils swooped in to secure themselves a striker, announcing the signing of Sesko in a deal totalling £74m on Saturday and introducing him to their fans before a pre-season friendly against Fiorentina.

Sesko was jubilant when asked why he chose United over other potential suitors, such as Arsenal and Newcastle United, who submitted a more lucrative bid for him this summer.

"The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future," stated Sesko. "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 [Amorim] and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together."

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