Sports
Man Utd could sign “one of the best CFs in PL”
For the third summer in succession, Manchester United gambled on an under-23 striker to solve their goalscoring woes. For the third season in succession, questions are already being asked about the wisdom of such a purchase.
In the case of Rasmus Hojlund in 2023, it took until Boxing Day for the Dane to score his first Premier League goal for the club, albeit while having dazzled amid United’s dismal Champions League group stage run.
A year later, the Red Devils’ last outing of 2024 looked like marking the beginning of the end for Joshua Zirkzee, with the new man withdrawn after just 30 minutes against Newcastle United, a move greeted by a chorus of jeers from the Old Trafford crowd.
The Dutchman had scored just three league goals by that stage, and has netted just once more since then, with the most recent meeting with the Magpies on home soil perhaps proving the final nail in the coffin for his disappointing stay in Manchester.
Such conclusions haven’t yet been drawn on new man Benjamin Sesko, but, like Hojlund and Zirkzee before him, the Slovenian is approaching the New Year having failed to catch fire, scoring just twice to date.
As such, Ruben Amorim and co head into 2026 again in need of a new centre-forward.
How Sesko compares to other summer striker transfers
Having not scored since the win over Sunderland back in early October, albeit while having been hampered by a knee injury since then, doubts are already creeping in over whether INEOS went for the wrong man over the summer.
Quite who they would have gone for instead is another matter, having been notably interested in Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, although there were certainly plenty of options on the market, amid what was a real centre-forward merry-go-round.
Looking primarily at centre-forward arrivals in the Premier League this summer, Sesko ranks toward the lower ebb, not least in comparison to the other members of the so-called ‘Big Six’.
Alexander Isak’s British record move to Liverpool has been a real disappointment, although the Swede has bettered Sesko with three goals in all competitions, while Hugo Ekitike has been a revelation with 11 goals to date for the Reds across all fronts.
Joao Pedro and Liam Delap – excluding the Club World Cup – have scored seven combined in 25/26 at Chelsea, while Viktor Gyokeres has at least recorded seven goals himself, despite not exactly catching fire at Arsenal.
|
Sesko vs PL Summer Signings* |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
PL Games |
PL Goals |
|
Sesko |
13 |
2 |
|
Isak |
10 |
2 |
|
Ekitike |
17 |
8 |
|
Gyokeres |
16 |
5 |
|
Delap |
9 |
0 |
|
J. Pedro |
18 |
6 |
|
Woltemade |
15 |
7 |
|
Calvert-Lewin |
16 |
8 |
|
*selected |
||
Extending out to other top-flight sides, another former Bundesliga star, Nick Woltemade, has also been a far greater success story than Sesko, scoring seven league goals and nine in all competitions after joining Newcastle from Stuttgart.
Sesko, of course, might require a bit of patience, but INEOS should certainly consider moving for a more proven talent in 2026.
Man Utd could sign one of the Premier League’s ‘best strikers’ in 2026
With Antoine Semenyo seemingly on his way to Manchester City, it is unclear if any other leading attacking targets will emerge for United over the coming weeks, not least with the midfield unit seemingly the priority.
That said, it’s not out of the question that the Red Devils could pounce if the opportunity arises, with reports earlier this month name-checking the Old Trafford side as one of the clubs still keeping tabs on Jean-Philippe Mateta‘s situation at Crystal Palace.
The towering Frenchman is yet to pen fresh terms at Selhurst Park, with the 28-year-old believed to be ready to take the ‘next step’ in his career, which could come as soon as January.
It certainly wouldn’t be easy prising the former Mainz man from the Eagles, but considering his contract does expire in 2027, now might be the time to pounce.
The major benefit of such a move would be Mateta’s proven quality in England’s top-flight, having been hailed as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” by analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson.
That status is no doubt justified considering his form over an extended period now, having scored 37 league goals in all since the start of 2023/24.
For comparison, Hojlund, Zirkzee and Sesko have chalked up just 20 league goals combined for United following their respective moves, highlighting just what an upgrade Mateta would be in Amorim’s centre-forward ranks.
That tally also includes seven league goals so far this season, again bettering both Zirkzee and Sesko’s returns, with the France international notably winning and converting a first-half penalty against United just a few weeks ago.
Full of pace and power, Mateta is a real nuisance when leading the line, while providing the added benefit of having already shone in a similar 3-4-3 set-up under Oliver Glasner.
Considering Zirkzee has netted just four Premier League goals in 18 months, while Sesko has half of that tally after his own slow start in Manchester, it’s easy to see just why Mateta would represent the ideal upgrade for 2026.
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