How Man Utd could still replace Benjamin Sesko this summer

In years gone by, Manchester United have been a club built on top-quality attacking talents, many of whom often managed to get fans off their seats at Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs are just three players who spring to mind when thinking of the greatest attackers to feature for the Red Devils.

Michael Carrick will undoubtedly crave the chance to rely upon such talents during his own time in charge at the Theatre of Dreams, but talents like those certainly won’t come cheap.

INEOS did spend upwards of £200m to land a new attacking trio last summer, but how did big-money man Benjamin Sesko manage in his first season in the Premier League?

How Sesko compared to other strikers in the Premier League last season

The Slovenian international was the most expensive of the summer additions 12 months ago, as the United hierarchy forked out a reported £74m for his signature.

Such a figure placed a lot of pressure on the 23-year-old to deliver the goods, but despite a shaky start, he did step up to the plate and ended the year with 11 league goals.

The aforementioned figure was the joint highest of any player within Carrick’s men, with the youngster starting to come into his own towards the back end of the campaign.

However, away from his goal tally, Sesko struggled in various other key areas for a centre-forward, which saw him rank lowly compared to other players in his position across the division.

He only managed to complete 33% of the dribbles he attempted in England’s top-flight, whilst also managing to find a teammate with 69% of his passes.

Both of the figures showcase his struggles with the ball at his feet, with such numbers placing him below 70% of other strikers in England’s top division.

Sesko also struggled to fend off the opposition when in possession and was dispossessed an average of 1.7 times per 90 – a figure higher than 65% of other strikers.

£30m signing could replace Sesko at Man Utd

It’s almost certain that Carrick will once again utilise Sesko as his number one striking option next term, but that’s not to say the hierarchy are considering other attacking options.

Liam Delap has been touted as just one option this summer, as the club look to add another body in forward areas, with Joshua Zirkzee edging closer to a departure.

However, the Chelsea star isn’t the only talent currently in their sights, with Shakhtar Donetsk talisman Kaua Elias another young prospect being considered.

It’s been reported by TEAMtalk that United have recently sent scouts to watch the Brazilian attacker to gain more information on the player as they commence work on a potential transfer.

However, they certainly aren’t alone in that regard, as Arsenal have also monitored the 20-year-old, along with at least eight other unnamed teams across Europe.

The report does state that the player could well be on the move and his current employers are aware of the interest – leading to a £30m price tag being placed on his head.

Such a fee may seem hefty for a player who’s featured just 49 times for the Ukrainian outfit, but his stats from his recent season in Europe highlight his quality and potential in attacking areas.

Elias helped Shakhtar reach the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League last season, subsequently registering six goal contributions in his 12 appearances.

In the words of Como scout Ben Mattinson, “Elias’ instincts in the box are of an elite goalscorer” and the stats showcase that.

Indeed, he found the back of the net with 25% of his shots on target throughout 2025/26 – numbers which could hand the United boss the attacking threat he’s hunting for in the closing stages of the window.

Away from his goalscoring ability, the Brazilian was a constant threat to the opposition – as seen by his impressive tallies of 1.5 successful dribbles and 1.4 chances created per 90.

Both of the aforementioned figures ranked him in the top 20% of strikers in the Conference League – which arguably already makes him a bigger all-round threat than Sesko.

The Brazilian’s talent in forward areas was further reflected by his tally of 80% passes completed – bettering the Slovenian once again – with the youngster able to operate as a focal point when needed.

Such eye-catching numbers could well allow the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to improve their own goalscoring tallies – subsequently making the Red Devils a bigger attacking force.

REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Even in 2026/27, Elias has wasted no time in impressing, with the Brazilian netting a perfect hat-trick during the recent win over Kudrivka in the Ukrainian top-division.

Whilst the jump between such a division and the Premier League is undoubtedly a huge one, the youngster seemingly has all the tools to be a success in the biggest league in Europe.

£30m would be a phenomenal piece of business for the Red Devils, but such a move could spell bad news for Sesko – who would likely see his minutes reduced should a deal be agreed.