Player Focus
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Like many players who join the ranks at Old Trafford, Benjamin Sesko arrived at Manchester United bearing the weight of high expectations and a hefty transfer fee. However, in his early days under Ruben Amorim, who oversaw the largest acquisition since his appointment, Sesko is struggling to reproduce the form that ignited fierce competition with Newcastle for his signature from RB Leipzig. In a crucial Manchester derby, United faltered against their city rivals, Manchester City, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland stole the show with two goals, missing out on a hat-trick, while Phil Foden opened the scoring. Transfermarkt takes a closer look at Sesko’s performance in this Player Focus piece.
Player Focus: Benjamin Sesko
City’s players showcased their flair, with Jeremy Doku proving to be a persistent threat and Foden exhibiting his talents. Conversely, United’s squad lacked the same freedom, leaving Sesko with minimal service. Tasking the 22-year-old Slovenia international with making his full Premier League debut in a local derby is no small ask, yet one might have hoped for some youthful energy and determination from him—chasing down the ball, pressuring anxious defenders, and exploiting spaces. Unfortunately, Sesko often appeared as isolated as a piece of driftwood adrift in the Atlantic Ocean.
In the early moments, he showed a glimmer of potential by taking a shot that tested Gianluigi Donnarumma’s reflexes, which was a positive sign indicating he was in the right spot to score. However, that effort, which came just three minutes into the match, would be his only opportunity to challenge the Italian goalkeeper throughout his 79 minutes on the pitch. There was a moment of promise when he made a well-timed run past the City defense, leaving Josko Gvardiol in his wake, but a heavy touch allowed the ball to slip away on the slick surface. Hopes for a revitalized performance from both United and Sesko in the second half quickly faded as City seized control of the game, leaving Sesko to spend extended periods without the ball, appearing lost among a sea of sky blue jerseys.
It wasn’t entirely his fault, as unusually poor service from Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo left him with few scoring opportunities. Following the interval, Sesko’s attempts to engage in the match appeared lackluster. He struggled for touches early in the second half and didn’t demonstrate proactivity in seeking involvement. His outing ended after 79 minutes when Ruben Amorim substituted him for Joshua Zirkzee in an attempt to salvage a late goal, leaving Sesko with just one shot, three aerial duels won, and a pass completion rate of 57 percent. It was a challenging day for him, especially against the formidable duo of Gvardiol and Ruben Dias. Nevertheless, United expects more from their powerful striker in the coming weeks.
Market Value Analysis
This summer, United made a considerable investment to bring Sesko onboard, with a transfer fee of €76.5 million reflecting a substantial outlay, especially for a team that finished 15th last season, even by the standards of a club like United. With the striker still waiting for his first goal for the Red Devils, scrutiny over his performances will undoubtedly increase. While more empathetic fans might recognize that adjusting to a league with increased physicality requires time, prolonged goal droughts into the winter months could rightfully raise concerns about the impact on his confidence, potentially affecting his €70 million transfer value. Players such as Antony, Rasmus Højlund, and Mason Mount have seen their market values decline following similar transitions; Sesko will aim to evade that fate.
