When Benjamin Sesko made his big-money move from RB Leipzig to Manchester United in August, expectations were sky-high.
At 22, with a powerful frame, good record in Germany – 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig – and a fee reportedly rising to €85 million including add-ons, he was signed as one of the keystones in United’s rebuilding process.
United, after all, had finished a disappointingly low 15th in the Premier League in 2024/25, scoring only 44 league goals in 38 top-flight games.
Yet the early signs were bleak. In his first six appearances for the club, Sesko failed to score. He struggled to make an impact in matches and frequently looked out of sync with his new teammates.
The comparisons with Rasmus Hojlund – who was moved on in part to make room for Sesko – did not help. Hojlund had started brightly in Italy, scoring four goals in his first six appearances in all competitions for Napoli.
So Sesko looked, at least initially, like another expensive gamble that might not pay off.
That judgment, though, now feels premature.
In recent weeks, Sesko has shown signs of settling into his role, of finding his feet, of proving that he was bought for more than just potential.
He has scored in two consecutive games, netting his first goal for United in the 3-1 defeat to Brentford and then scoring again in the 2-0 win over Sunderland on October 4.
In between, his link play has improved, his movement is better, his general understanding of how to combine with Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and others is much more encouraging.
Benjamin Sesko gets his first goal for Man United!
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 27, 2025
He pulls one back as they now trail 2-1 against Brentford 💪
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/bYDcQl7HK7
It’s worth unpacking how that first goal, coming in the Brentford loss, played a bigger part psychologically than the scoreline might suggest. United were overpowered in large parts and questions were again being raised about manager Ruben Amorim’s future after that defeat.
But for Sesko, scoring in that game allowed him to get the monkey off his back, so to speak. Once that barrier was broken, there has been a palpable uptick.
Against Sunderland, his goalscoring not only delivered three points but came in a strong collective performance where he was more involved, sharper in his runs, more alert in the box.
Neither of those two goals have been spectacular in style, but they have been precisely what United needed: dependable finishing, good positioning, reliable target play.
These are the high-percentage chances that United have too often failed to convert in recent seasons.
Sesko’s strengths as a target man – his physicality, his hold-up play, his ability to win aerial duels and to bring others into play – match well with United’s new supporting cast: Fernandes in a deeper role, Cunha’s driving runs and Mbeumo’s work rate and movement out wide.
In that sense, Sesko is now beginning to look like an upgrade on Hojlund, who, despite moments of promise, rarely demonstrated consistently the ability to sniff out and convert these kinds of chances inside the box in previous seasons.
Looking back, it was always going to be a tall ask for Sesko to come into a United side in transition, under pressure, who had suffered a calamitous previous season, and instantly hit the ground running.
Adapting to the pace, the physicality, the scrutiny of the Premier League – all while trying to build chemistry with new teammates – takes time.
United’s attacking frailties in 2024/25 meant that the system, the squad, even the morale were not ready to support a striker immediately.
Now, however, after a few weeks of mixed performances, those windows of encouragement are turning into a pattern. Sesko’s goal against Brentford came after three shots in quick succession, showing persistence in the box.
And his goal against Sunderland came in a match where United dominated with the Slovenian the focal point up front.
These are traits of a striker growing in confidence.
If Sesko continues on this upward trajectory, his presence can accelerate United’s recovery. Between him, Cunha and Mbeumo, the potential for goals is significantly higher than it was last season.
United have invested heavily in attacking talent.
Sesko, given his age, physical style, finishing ability and growing link-up play, represents the sort of long-term asset that could help the club move from mid-table mediocrity to challenging the upper echelons of the Premier League again.
The kind of goals he now scores – simple, predatory, born from good positioning rather than individual brilliance – are exactly what United need more of.
Moreover, the stability his growing form provides could ease pressure on Amorim, allowing the team to play with less fear, more cohesion, rather than always defending crises.
As United climb, every reliable goal matters. Those moments when a striker takes his chances cleanly can be difference-makers in tight games.
Sesko’s start was shaky, but his recent performances suggest he is settling in. He is delivering the kind of goals United bought him for, improving in link-play, movement, understanding.
Given United’s dire attacking record last season and the expectation placed on the new arrivals, it was unrealistic to expect an instant transformation.
But at this stage, Sesko looks less like a gamble and more like a foundation.
If that carries on, he can play a lead role in super-charging United’s recovery this season and help rescue the Amorim project.
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