Benjamin Sesko landed in Manchester last night after making the decision to travel as soon as a deal was agreed between RB Leipzig and Manchester United. Despite being offered more money by Newcastle, the Slovenian striker only had eyes for United. United’s deal is worth an initial £66.5m with the potential to rise to £74m.
Having already wrapped up deals for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, it’s impressive we’ve also now managed to sign another highly rated player. When looking at the top scorers since August 2023 who are currently under the age of 23 in Europe’s top five leagues, Sesko is first with 39 goals. This puts him ahead of Jude Bellingham, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
Sesko presents a compelling blend of strengths that could fill critical gaps within the squad and propel the team towards its ambitions. Ruben Amorim has played a blinder in the transfer market and will be hoping that Sesko can deliver.
Born in 2003, Sesko has rapidly ascended the ranks of European football. Starting his professional journey at Red Bull Salzburg, he made his debut in 2020 at just 17. Since then, he has displayed remarkable potential, accruing notable stats that underscore his capability as a prolific goal scorer and an insightful playmaker.
Last season, he scored 21 goals and provided six assists across all competitions, meaning he claimed a goal/assist every 121 minutes on the pitch. The season before he managed 18 goals and two assists, a goal/assist for every 103 minutes he played.
His goal-scoring record is complemented by a keen sense of positioning, clinical finishing, and the ability to perform under pressure. His capacity to link play and create chances adds a layer of unpredictability to his offensive threat. These statistics highlight a player with the maturity and consistency to thrive at Old Trafford.
Sesko’s finishing ability, both with his feet and head, is enhanced by excellent movement and anticipation. At United, where our attack often relies on finding sharp, decisive finishes, Sesko’s eye for goal will be invaluable. His ability to convert chances efficiently will help address United’s previous inconsistency in front of goal, especially in matches where creating clear opportunities has been a challenge. Our xG for last season was 54, but we only scored 44 goals all season. Compare this with Liverpool who had an xG of 84, which resulted in 86 goals, or Arsenal with an xG of 62 which translated to 69 goals. Hojlund, our only no.9, managed just four Premier League goals.
Standing at 6’4″, Sesko’s physical presence allows him to compete effectively against defenders in aerial duels and hold-up play. Coupled with his technical refinement, excellent ball control, dribbling, and rapid acceleration, he can link seamlessly with midfielders and our wide forwards. This strength set will enable him to contribute both as a traditional number nine and in more fluid attacking roles, offering tactical flexibility.
Last season was beyond embarrassing for the club and too many players failed to show up. Ruben Amorim was given a tough task in joining once the season had started, and not being backed in the transfer market, but that still doesn’t excuse how badly we played and how poor the results were. The limp performance in the Europa League final summed up the disastrous campaign.
With that context, it’s hard to get too excited about the season ahead, but with Sesko set to displace Hojlund from the starting XI, whose future is still unsure despite him liking a post on social media announcing Sesko’s arrival, we should be in a better position to score goals at least.
It’s been a dark time as a United fan but there’s finally some reason for hope. The name of the club has landed us three incredible signings and now it’s time to start making that name mean something again.