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Benjamin Sesko overshadowed as £48m cheaper rival delivers standout numbers this season

Originally posted on HITC | By Kieran Smith | Last updated Nov 17, 2025 6:42 AM ET

Benjamin Sesko has had a rough start to the season, and Manchester United could have done with another striker to push the Slovenian at Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have settled in quickly at United, but Sesko still has not quite found his feet.

He has shown flashes of what he can do, but so far, it has not matched the £74m fee that the club paid RB Leipzig over the summer.

The real problem is there is no one else in the squad to challenge him for his place. After Rasmus Hojlund left, Sesko was left as Amorim’s only out-and-out striker going into the 25/26 season.

Jean-Philippe Mateta should be a Manchester United player

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Given how things have played out, it is surprising that United did not add a second striker to their squad – and Jean-Philippe Mateta would have been the clear choice.

The Crystal Palace striker had an outstanding season last year and has carried that form into the early part of this campaign as well.

His performances have even earned him a call-up to the French national team, where he made his debut at 28 years old back in October.

This season, there is a clear gap between Mateta and Sesko. The Palace forward has outperformed Sesko in nearly every area, according to FBRef stats.

Player	Games Started	Minutes	Goals	Assists	Shots	Shots on Target	Shots/90	Goal Conversion
Benjamin Sesko	11	616	2	1	18	7 (38.9%)	2.61	11.1%
Jean-Philippe Mateta	11	959	6	0	30	15 (50%)	2.82	20.0%

The striker already knew his way around the Premier League – and given the reported £26m asking price, it should have been an easy call for Manchester United to make.

Sesko needed another striker alongside him

The decision not to sign both Sesko and Mateta now looks like a mistake. Having both would have provided competition and depth up front, giving Amorim more options to work with.

Right now, the 22-year-old is under pressure as the only real option up front. That is a heavy burden for someone still so young.

But the door might not be closed on Mateta. He is still only 28, so there could be another chance to bring him in next summer – something United should seriously consider.