Benjamin Sesko is starting to show signs of improvement at Manchester United, but former Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov remains unconvinced.
Sesko has yet to be handed a start under Michael Carrick, but that could change when Manchester United take on West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday night.
Interestingly, the Slovenian forward has scored more goals since Ruben Amorim was dismissed than he did under the Portuguese coach. With four goals in his last five matches across all competitions, Sesko is beginning to demonstrate why the club invested £66m to bring him over from RB Leipzig.
Still, criticism persists. Gary Neville hasn’t been overly impressed with Sesko, even though he’s looked like an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund from last season.
Now, former United striker Dimitar Berbatov thinks he’s noticed something unique about how Sesko plays the game.
Dimitar Berbatov on where Benjamin Sesko can improve
On the ball, Berbatov was always cool and calculated. While there were questions about his work rate off the ball, he rarely made the wrong choice in possession.
Berbatov also thinks that Sesko looks like a striker lacking in belief.
Speaking on the ESPN FC podcast, Berbatov said: “Again, it’s down to communication. In the case of Sesko, I think there is work to be done to build the confidence of him.”
“Because we all saw the goal he scored (vs Fulham) was a beautiful goal, but in the last game (vs Tottenham) he had a good opportunity to score again, but he missed a couple of chances. It means that his confidence is a bit short at the moment.”
The former United man feels that players need to speak more often if they are not comfortable with something and give more instructions too.
Benjamin Sesko has plenty of time to develop into a top player
Ineos were well aware when they brought in Sesko that his potential, rather than his immediate impact, was what made the signing so appealing.
Even at 22, he’s built for the Premier League – quick, strong, and with the kind of physical presence that stands out.
Settling into a new league hasn’t been without its challenges, but there have been clear signs lately that Sesko is starting to find his feet and make an impression at United.
Those working closely with him – Amorim, Darren Fletcher, and Carrick among them – have all spoken highly of his professionalism and determination to improve.
He’s far from the finished product yet, but if he continues on this path and builds confidence along the way, there’s every chance he could develop into one of the league’s top centre-forwards. The fans just need to stick with him through these early stages.
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