Manchester United are not surprised with Benjamin Sesko’s early struggles
Manchester United took the summer transfer window of 2025 very seriously after suffering a disastrous season in 2024/25. The club has spent heavily on their attack by pulling off big-money signings like Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo. They had also spent money on big signings in the earlier transfer windows, but many failed to shine in the Premier League in the United jersey.
Rasmus Hojlund, Antony, and Jadon Sancho were some of the players who signed for Manchester United for big, but failed to match the expectations at Old Trafford. The management understood this in the summer, and offloaded them either permanently or temporarily on a loan move.
To solve the striker issue, the club paid a whopping transfer fee to sign Sesko. White Mbeumo and Cunha were already familiar with the pace of the Premier League; the Slovenian was not. Hence, the 22-year-old has failed to live up to the hype of RB Leipzig, so far at Old Trafford.
However, Journalist Dean Jones has reported on TEAMtalk that the club were aware of the fact that Sesko would take more time to adapt to the Premier League. He also revealed that the Slovenian striker’s impact so far has convinced United to look for players who have already proven themselves in the Premier League.
“United expected Sesko’s start to be slower than that of his teammates.”
“The club’s data showed that Mbeumo and Cunha displayed consistent traits, while Sesko still needed time to adapt.”
“This outcome strengthened United’s plan to focus on Premier League-proven players in future transfer windows.”
The reason for Sesko’s limited impact so far
Sesko has had a limited impact at United so far due to some tactical issues and also his isolated role in attack. The Slovenian is at his best when he receives early, direct balls behind the defence, but the Red Devils have often been erratic with their build-up play, which has somewhat hindered his main strengths.
When United have composed a structured attack, the 21-year-old has also struggled with his link-up play and lack of service. The Slovenian has had a somewhat low number of touches in the penalty area during key games reflects that. Moreover, the midfield has still provided him with consistent, incisive passing that can cater to his intelligent off-the-ball runs. This lack of chemistry and service forces him into less influential areas and reduces his threat.
What can we expect?
After scoring against Brentford and Sunderland in recent weeks, Sesko will look to build momentum and improve his link-up play with creative players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. The 22-year-old will continue to use his height and pace to make intelligent runs behind defences and become a more reliable aerial threat in the box. Consistent playing time should boost his confidence and help him unlock his goalscoring potential.
The need for proven Premier League players and the possible blueprint
After successfully signing Mbeumo and Cunha in the summer, Manchester United plan to keep targeting Premier League-proven players. They have reportedly made Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton their main target for the upcoming window.
At just 21, he offers versatility and could quickly adapt to Ruben Amorim’s system, though he will likely command a significant transfer fee. United also want Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, another young English talent with solid top-flight experience. Though both players may cost a lot, they fit the club’s new strategy of investing in domestic talent who require less adaptation time.