Amorim Backs £73.7M Striker Sesko Amid Early Struggles at Manchester United
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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has publicly defended his £73.7 million summer signing, Benjamin Sesko, acknowledging a challenging start to the Slovenian international’s career at Old Trafford but urging him to disregard harsh criticism from club icons.
Despite a hefty price tag, Sesko has found the back of the net only twice in his first 11 appearances for the club. His most recent goal came against Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 4th, and a recent performance against Nottingham Forest drew pointed commentary from former United captain Gary Neville, who stated Sesko was “miles off it” compared to fellow new recruits Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Amorim concedes there is validity to Neville’s assessment, but emphasizes the broader context of a 22-year-old adapting to a new league after only two seasons in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. “I’m relaxed,” Amorim stated, “[But] he’s not relaxed.” He recognizes the inherent pressures of joining a club with United’s stature.
“I understand how things are in football and he’s going to struggle. That is normal. He has no experience here,” Amorim explained. “The first impact [is] when everyone says that you are so good, you are the next big thing and you hear that about Sesko. Then you come to one club that is the hardest club. If you don’t perform every week, you are going to hear a lot of things from club legends, from pundits, from the media – and sometimes they are right.”
The manager stressed the importance of perspective, acknowledging the difficulty of silencing criticism while simultaneously encouraging Sesko to remain focused. “Of course, nobody likes to hear but he struggled a little bit, and that is a fact. So, let’s embrace that. It is hard to hear but it’s not personal. It’s an opinion that is going to change in three weeks. Everything that is true today, in three weeks, could be a lie.”
Dedication and Long-Term Vision
Sesko is reportedly demonstrating a relentless work ethic, dedicating significant extra time at the club’s Carrington training facility to refine his game. Sources indicate he consistently arrives over 90 minutes before the scheduled 09:45 team meeting and remains on site until 16:00, well after most teammates have departed.
Despite the early challenges, club officials remain confident in the Sesko acquisition, even while simultaneously facilitating a loan move for Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli, where the Danish striker has already scored four goals in nine appearances.
Amorim described Sesko as a “young kid, a control freak,” noting his desire to master all aspects of his game. “He wants to control everything – and he’s not going to control everything,” Amorim said. “He has more potential than I was thinking [but] we need to understand how he likes to play and also to put in our ideas.”
The manager concluded with a reaffirmation of his long-term belief in Sesko’s ability to thrive at Manchester United. “I’m quite relaxed with that. He is going to be our striker for the long term but he’s going to have these struggles and these bumps during the ride. That is a normal thing in football.”
