Ex-Manchester United striker drops bold claim about Amorim’s handling of £73.7m signing

Ruben Amorim weighs Benjamin Sesko’s Premier League breakthrough as Owen questions his training impact ahead of the Manchester derby

Manchester United made a big gamble by signing Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig this summer for £73.7 million, but Ruben Amorim has given him few chances so far this season. He has played only three times as a substitute in the Premier League, for a total of 80 minutes, and started once in the Carabao Cup. Amorim has perhaps deliberately introduced him slowly to give him time to adjust to the physical demands of the Premier League. Paul Merson has previously said that the onus is on the midfield to get the best out of Šeško, and that seems even more relevant now because his real test still lies ahead.

Owen’s comments and current situation

Right ahead of the Manchester derby, former United striker Michael Owen shared his view on the Šeško saga. He argued that if the Slovenian were performing well in training and impressing Amorim, the Portuguese manager would already have started him. Owen stated that if a player consistently plays well and scores goals, the manager will give him game time to maximise results. He also noted that United have more options in attack this season. He hoped Šeško would return fit after the international break and stake a claim to a starting spot. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink also believes that Manchester United will need goals from Šeško if they want good results, which mirrors much of the current fan sentiment.

“If he were absolutely tearing up trees in training, if he was banging goals in left, right, and centre and looking unbelievable, then Amorim would be thinking, ‘geez, we just got to get him in straight away.’”

“He came in reasonably late.”

“But he’s probably taking a little bit of time to find his feet and find his fitness and things like that.”

“Manchester United have got a lot more attacking options this year, following that transfer blitz that they had in the summer on attacking players.”

“I’d be very surprised if he’s on the bench much longer. He should be starting soon. This international break will give him time to get even fitter. And I would have thought he’d be starting soon.”

“It remains to be seen [if he’ll have a big impact on the team. Let’s just wait and see on Sesko. Let’s watch him a few times before we start forming an opinion. At the moment, he hasn’t been given much of a chance.”

Via: Metro

Manchester derby and Šeško’s chances

Manchester United fans are now debating whether Amorim should start Šeško in the upcoming derby. This is not only because Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount may be unavailable through injury, but also because Šeško’s presence can give United a different dimension. His height and strength allow him to pressure defenders, while his pace can break down the opposition’s back line. Amorim has admitted that United have not fully exploited Šeško’s runs and heading ability.