"We had a hard time lacking a true centre-forward. Now we have a new signing, let's see" - coach Ruben Amorim admitted after Manchester United's friendlies with Fiorentina. Clearly, expectations are placed on Benjamin Sesko's shoulders.
The 21-year-old striker's potential is undeniable. With a height of 1m95 but moving flexibly, Sesko is both strong in air combat and dangerous with powerful long-range shots.
His wall-making ability still needs improvement. However, the Slovenia striker promises to be a reliable support for the style of play Amorim is building.
With £73.7 million spent on Sesko, Man United's total investment in the summer of 2025 on three new players in attack has exceeded £200 million. That means Amorim has received great support from the top, but also puts him under the pressure to bring immediate results.
Amorim admitted that he was lucky to continue working, thanks to the patience of the board, despite the "Red Devils"' poor performance last season. But the atmosphere at this time has changed.
Luke Shaw recently admitted that the club's environment was once "very negative" and "harmful", but insists that things are different now. The dissatisfied players have passed away, new faces have come with the desire to assert themselves. Man United are not only rebuilding the squad, but also starting a cultural rebuilding.
Longer training time, combined with not having to participate in European cups, will give Amorim the opportunity to build and perfect the team as he wishes. The new season is the time for him to prove why he is considered one of the most promising young coaches in Europe.
However, the huge spending in the summer also means great expectations. Man United are currently considered by experts to be the fifth strong candidate for the Premier League title.
If they cannot qualify for the European Cup, they will have to miss this tournament for two consecutive seasons. This has not happened to them since the ban on English clubs playing in Europe was lifted.
The problem is that Sesko is not yet a perfect "product". At least for now, he has not been able to completely solve all problems in Man United's attack.
And interestingly, the opening match of the Premier League this season brought them against Arsenal - the team that chased Sesko fiercely before he chose Old Trafford.
In the end, Arsenal chose Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish striker has scored more than 100 goals for club and country in the past two years - a number far exceeding what Sesko has achieved in his entire career. At the age of 27, Gyokeres is a contract for both the present and the future.
This choice partly reflects the urgency of Arsenal - a team that has repeatedly approached glory in recent seasons. And they consider Gyokeres the last piece for their championship ambitions.
On the contrary, Man United put their faith in Sesko, a gambling den for the future with the expectation that he would become a top star.
Sesko's performance may not be as impressive as Gyokeres. However, 39 goals for RB Leipzig in all competitions in the past two seasons are enough to affirm his potential.
This number makes Sesko the striker under 23 years old with the most goals in the top five European national championships in the same period.
That achievement puts Sesko on a promising list, although the appearance of the familiar names behind it also evokes another reality. As former coach Rene Meulensteen once commented, Man United "are doing exactly what they did with Rasmus Hojlund". That is spending heavily to nurture a potential striker.
This model has been repeated. Hojlund scored just nine goals for Atalanta before arriving at Old Trafford, Zirkzee scored 11 for Bologna before joining a year later, and now Sesko with 13 for Leipzig.
Of course, this partly helps lower expectations, but many opinions believe that Sesko possesses a sharper instinct than his predecessors. He is a striker who knows how to choose space in the penalty area, and can make surprising shots at a speed rarely seen in a high- pitched player.
In general, Sesko has not reached the level of Alexander Isak and the price also reflects that. But remember, Isak was only 22 when he arrived in the Premier League, after a season of scoring just 6 goals in 32 games for Real Sociedad. Sesko's development path may follow a similar path.
