Highly-rated teenager Ryan Sessegnon is set to leave Fulham – who were relegated from the Premier League – with a report on The Guardian suggesting that the Cottagers want £45 million for the versatile player. The youngster made his senior team debut at the age of 16 and has gone on to make more than 100 appearances for the London club.
Sessegnon’s contract with Fulham will expire in 2020 but he has informed Fulham that he will not sign a new contract with the club and desires to leave Fulham before the start of next season.
The left midfielder, who can also play as a left-back or further up as part of a front three, has been an important figure for Fulham, making 35 appearances in the 2018-19 Premier League season, scoring twice and making six assists.
The 2017-18 Championship campaign was Sessegnon’s breakthrough season where he scored 16 goals and helped Fulham get promoted to the Premier League. The 19-year-old has played all across the left side for Fulham, while also playing on the right side of midfield and attack. A good dribbler of the ball and with a desire to take on the defence and get into good positions in the attacking front, Sessegnon has all the tools to become one of the best in the world.
With a move likely, let us take a look at 3 possible destinations for the talented player.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are the favourites to sign the teenager and are reportedly willing to pay £25 million for Sessegnon in the transfer window. With Mauricio Pochettino’s record of grooming young players, and with an exciting side already in place at Spurs, Sessegnon would be a great signing for the Lilywhites.
There have been question marks regarding the left fullback scenario at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with neither Ben Davies nor Danny Rose able to nail down the spot. And with Rose linked with an exit, there is every chance that Pochettino will be actively pursuing someone like Sessegnon in the coming days.
Manchester United
Manchester United are set to undergo a rebuilding process, and from the kind of players they have been linked with – targeting young, talented British players, seems to be the transfer strategy that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has put in place for this summer transfer window as we saw with the signing of Daniel James from Swansea City.
Sessegnon fits the bill for the kind of player that Solskjaer and Manchester United want. Alexis Sanchez’s future is uncertain while Anthony Martial has blown hot and cold which means that Solskjaer has to bring in a left-sided winger who could make things happen. Added to that, his versatility means Ryan can also challenge Luke Shaw for a spot at left-back as the former Southampton man has largely operated without any sort of competition for his place.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp, like Mauricio Pochettino, has a fantastic record of finding and grooming talented young players who could go on to become world-class stars which is what many envisage Sessegnon to become.
Sessegnon could offer Klopp another option at left-back following the impending departure of backup left-back Alberto Moreno and provide competition to in-form left-back Andy Robertson while also offering another youthful versatile option on the left flank.
