Slovenia manager upset at Manchester United over Benjamin Sesko

Manchester United’s attacking rebuild has brought both excitement and scrutiny this season, with new signings expected to carry heavy responsibility in a team still finding consistency in the final third.

Some players have found themselves at the centre of a growing club-versus-country debate.

That tension has now surfaced again around one of United’s key forward options.

Benjamin Sesko, who joined Manchester United in a £73.7million move and has enjoyed a promising debut campaign, scoring 12 goals and registering an assist across all competitions, has been interrupted by injury setbacks that have limited his availability as the season winded down.

His latest issue relates to a shin problem, aggravated in the match against Liverpool, which subsequently ruled him out of United’s final three games of the season.

That injury has now also forced him to withdraw from Slovenia’s upcoming friendlies against Cyprus and Croatia in June.

However, concerns over his international availability extend beyond the most recent setback.

Slovenia boss upset over handling of Benjamin Sesko injury

Slovenia manager Bostjan Cesar has openly addressed the situation, expressing understanding over the current injury but also frustration regarding previous absences from national duty.

While he has accepted the latest withdrawal, he has questioned earlier call-offs despite Benjamin Sesko featuring regularly for United during parts of the season.

Cesar explained the situation clearly when discussing the striker’s involvement:

“I kind of wanted him to be absent from United for a while, but then he came back quickly and I don’t think he missed a game for the club,” he said.

“But if a player hasn’t been in a competitive rhythm for a month, then I don’t see the point in him coming and playing at half-strength.”

Sesko had previously missed Slovenia duty in March due to the initial shin issue, despite still playing for United against Bournemouth and Leeds around that period.

Before that, he also sat out international fixtures in November because of a knee injury, meaning he has now missed three consecutive Slovenia call-ups and has not featured for his country since October 13.

Cesar, who only took over as Slovenia head coach in January, had already warned earlier in the year that the national team would not be pushed around when it came to player availability.

That stance has now resurfaced amid growing questions about Sesko’s recent international record.

He added further detail on how decisions are made between club and country medical teams: “In cases of injuries, the national team receives all the documentation, and then we decide together with their doctors what is best.”

Despite the tension, there is no suggestion of a breakdown in relations.

Benjamin Sesko is understood to remain fully committed to Slovenia, having even travelled to Ljubljana during a previous camp in March despite being injured, and recently meeting the Slovenian ambassador to the UK.

With Sesko already showing encouraging signs in his first season, the focus will now be on ensuring his fitness issues do not derail his long-term progress at Old Trafford or complicate his international commitments further.