Benjamin Sesko's Injury Disrupts Manchester United Season
Benjamin Sesko’s stuttering start to life at Manchester United has taken another unwelcome twist, with the striker sidelined by a shin injury and ruled out of Slovenia’s upcoming fixtures.
The 23-year-old, a £74million signing in August 2025, is undergoing tests to determine the extent of the problem and will stay in Manchester to continue his rehabilitation instead of joining up with his national team.
Shin injury halts international plans
Sesko missed United’s 1-1 draw at Fulham on Sunday because of the issue, and the concern has now deepened. According to GiveMeSport, he will not feature in Slovenia’s two matches against Scotland or their games against North Macedonia and Switzerland.
The report states Sesko is due to undergo examinations today to assess the damage, with no clear timeframe yet for his return.
In Slovenia, the tone is even more anxious. Sports daily Ekipa, relayed by Sport Witness, describes the situation as worrying “because of history and past patterns” related to the player’s shin. The paper highlights that such conditions, where bone pain persists despite no obvious fracture, are often chronic in nature.
That is what truly alarms those following his progress. Sesko has battled similar shin problems before, and some voices in the Slovenian press fear this could trouble him for months rather than weeks. An MRI scan in London is expected to give a firmer diagnosis and a rough idea of when he might be back.
For Slovenia, it is a major blow. Sesko has already scored 16 goals in 45 appearances for his country and is a central figure in their attack.
Big fee, small minutes
For United, this injury lands in the middle of an already awkward start to the season for their new No 9.
Michael Carrick has so far preferred Matheus Cunha as his central striker, leaving Sesko to scrap for minutes from the bench. Across all competitions this season, the Slovenian has two goals in six appearances, most of them as an impact substitute rather than as the focal point of the side.
The hope inside Old Trafford was that a burst of form with Slovenia might sharpen his confidence and rhythm before he returned to Carrington. That opportunity has vanished.
Instead, the narrative around Sesko’s early United career will continue to swirl without the release valve of international football.
Debate over Carrick’s choices
The question of how Carrick has used Sesko is already dividing opinion.
After United’s 2-2 draw with Everton, Paul Scholes argued the striker should be at the heart of the attack, describing him as a potential “focal point” and insisting it is “very difficult to watch a Manchester United team without a centre-forward.”
Others see it differently. Michael Owen believes Sesko, at this stage, is more of a “great impact player” than a guaranteed starter, and says he is not yet the “real deal” capable of dragging United back into the Premier League title conversation.
That discussion will now be paused by medical reports rather than match performances. Carrick’s selection calls are, for the moment, being made for him.
United’s injury list grows
Sesko is not alone in staying behind during the international break. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo have also withdrawn from England duty after being assessed by United’s medical staff following the closing stages of the draw at Fulham.
For a club trying to build momentum under Carrick, the timing is far from ideal. A marquee signing searching for rhythm. A shin injury with a worrying history. A national team deprived of its main striker.
The scans in London will say how bad this really is. The bigger question is whether this is just an early-season stumble for Sesko – or the first sign of a problem that shadows his United career.
