Striker Benjamin Sesko has explained why his move to Manchester United had to wait until last summer to finally get over the line.
Long-term target
United’s interest in Sesko can be traced as far back as his RB Salzburg days, when he often drew comparisons to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
Still reeling from their failure to snap up Haaland, the Red Devils launched an attempt for Sesko but it did not bear fruit, as he opted for a switch to RB Leipzig instead.
Sesko’s Leipzig spell began in 2023/24. When United came back for him in the summer of 2024, he rejected them once more, opting to continue his growth in the Bundesliga. Last summer, it looked like Arsenal were on the brink of landing the Slovenian but they pulled out of a deal and switched their attention towards signing Viktor Gyokeres.
The door swung open for United, and they walked straight through, securing their long-term target ahead of Newcastle, who had surprisingly been outbid on wages despite offering far more lucrative terms.
United forked out £74million to lure Sesko to Old Trafford.
He initially endured a mixed start under Ruben Amorim but kicked up a remarkable level since Michael Carrick’s appointment as the Portuguese coach’s replacement.
Sesko finished the 2025/26 season with an impressive 11 goals in 30 Premier League appearances. Nine of those goals came in his last 14 appearances for the club.
The 22-year-old missed United’s last three games with an injury that got aggravated during the 3-2 win against Liverpool.
Sesko spoke to GIVEMESPORT and indicated that his transfer to United had been several years in the making.
Sesko’s admission
The forward told GMS, “It was a couple of years that they really wanted me and I really wanted to but I was like ‘am I really ready yet?'”
“Then it just came and I really wanted to come here. It was not a doubt, I wanted to come here, wanted to challenge myself.”
“I wanted to become a member of the club and I’m so happy about it.”
With Slovenia out of the World Cup, Sesko has plenty of time to recover as he casts an eye on United’s pre-season tour.
Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images
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