INEOS have already signed ‘The Machine’ which could end Sesco’s stay at Manchester United

Manchester United have had a number of elite centre-forwards over the years, and Robin van Persie is another player who has captured the hearts of their fan base.

The Dutchman joined from Premier League rivals Arsenal in August 2012 in a controversial deal for £24 million, which proved to be an absolute bargain.

He ended up making 105 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring a total of 58 goals, and his 26 league goals in 2012/13 helped Sir Alex Ferguson win their last top-flight title.

Van Persie also recorded 16 assists during this period, taking his total goal contributions to 74, averaging 0.7 goals or assists per game over three years.

Such a record undoubtedly cemented his place in Red Devils history, but not many managers could rely on similar talent at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try to unearth his own version of the talisman, after spending big on signing a new centre-forward during the recent summer.

The reason behind Benjamin Sesco’s struggles at United

After taking over last November, Amorim has had to rely on the likes of Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee to perform at the top end of the pitch.

However, the duo combined for just seven goals in the Premier League last season, highlighting the need for reinforcements in the summer transfer window.

The board handed the manager the equivalent of £200m to make the desired changes, resulting in three big names moving to Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha and Brian Mbeumo are just two of the additions to the hierarchy, with Benjamin Sesko brought in to play alongside the pair in the final third.

The latter of the trio was snapped up for a reported £74m from RB Leipzig over the summer, with fans having real hopes that he was the man to solve their problems.

However, his start to life in Manchester was far from smooth sailing, as he scored just two goals in his first 11 league games and went four games without scoring.

His early struggles are definitely a cause for concern, and his underlying numbers also highlight his lack of impact in recent months following his big-money move.

He only takes a total of 3.6 touches per 90 inside the opposition box, ranking him in the bottom 20% of all other centre-forwards in England’s top flight.

Numbers like this indicate he’s not getting into the right position or being provided with the goods, which could explain his low scoring numbers.

However, Sesco relies heavily on those around him, and his 0.2 dribble success rate suggests he is unlikely to create chances on his own.

Similar to the aforementioned tally, he ranks in the bottom 20% of other strikers in the league, which could also be contributing to his current lack of goals.

United star Sesco’s Manchester United career could end

Sesco’s big-money move to United in the summer brought a huge cultural change for the 22-year-old, who will no doubt need more time to make his mark in England.

He had to move to a new country, league, and environment, which is certainly a difficult task for a young talent, but that may also be contributing to his lack of accomplishment.

But there is no doubt that such a lack of quality in that department has increased the pressure on the Slovenian international to provide in front of goal at Old Trafford.

There is no doubt that Amorim will need to personally manage Sesco to get the best out of the centre-forward, but it remains to be seen how much patience the manager will show his new signing.

Fans will have to give him some leeway, but there’s no doubt that will be difficult, especially given the talent that has played in such roles to date, including players like Van Persie.

But the club may have its next talisman in the form of Chido Obi. The young star has already matched the Dutchman who moved to Old Trafford from rivals Arsenal.

Fans will have to be patient with the Dane, who is only 17 years old, but his incredible goal-scoring record in the youth team has certainly generated excitement.

He scored 13 goals in just 11 appearances for the Under-18s last season, living up to his reputation as a “goal-scoring machine” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig. This form has seen him step up to the U21 team in recent months.

Obi has now made 22 appearances at this level, scoring nine goals and providing four assists, and has managed to improve despite being four years older than himself.

Given the lack of quality in the centre-forward department last season, Amorim even gave the teenager his first taste of senior football in a bid to improve the situation.

The Dane made a total of eight appearances for the first team in the 2024/25 season, but never managed to find the back of the net. But that didn’t stop the young man from receiving great praise.

Teammate Lenny Yolo has previously waxed lyrical about the youngster, even claiming that if he continues on his current path he could become “one of the best players in the world” in a few years.

Since returning to youth level, Obi has backed up Yoro’s statement, averaging a goal every 100 minutes this season, with an impressive total of 2.2 per 90 shots on target.

He has completed 68% of his dribble attempts so far and is very active in those areas, but Sesco has not been able to achieve that in recent months.

Obi has also dominated countless backlines recently, as seen by his 4.7 wins per duel, and his physical presence could be a perfect fit for Amorim’s current team.

Although he is only 17 years old, the Dane’s future at Old Trafford is very bright and the club desperately need to streamline his progression into the senior ranks.

Sesco’s failure to impress could arguably give the manager a golden opportunity to stake his claim and position himself for years to come.

If he can match the level of Van Persie during his time with the Red Devils, he will undoubtedly be a fan favorite and a player who can return the first team to their former glory.