Benjamin Sesko Faces Injury Concerns Ahead of Medical Tests
Benjamin Sesko is facing another spell of uncertainty, with Manchester United’s record summer signing set for medical examinations this week after suffering a recurrence of a shin injury.
The problem has already cost him his place with Slovenia for the current international break and threatens to stall a United career that has yet to ignite.
Recurring pain, renewed concern
The injury is not new. Sesko first damaged his shin in the spring, but played through the pain for two months as United pushed to secure Champions League qualification. The club rode his resilience then; now it feels like the bill is coming due.
According to The Athletic, the discomfort has flared up again, forcing his withdrawal from international duty. United responded on Monday with a measured update, confirming that the 22-year-old will undergo tests in the coming days before the club finalise “his individual recovery plan.”
The timing is awkward. Sesko missed training after United’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton and was nowhere to be seen in the squad for the 1-1 Premier League draw at Fulham.
Carrick left waiting
At Craven Cottage, Michael Carrick cut the figure of a manager who knows he might have a problem on his hands but doesn’t yet know how big.
“We’re not sure with Ben yet. He felt a bit of pain after the game [against Brighton] so we’re assessing him,” Carrick told reporters. “At the moment, he definitely wasn’t ready for [Fulham], so I haven’t really got any more news to give you at this point. We’ll have to see what that brings.”
For a player signed to be a focal point of United’s attack, the stop-start nature of his season is beginning to grate. Sesko arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2025 for €76.5 million, with a further €8.5m in potential add-ons attached to the deal. The fee alone underlined United’s belief that he would lead their line for years.
Right now, he can barely get started.
Big price, slow return
Sesko scored 12 goals last season, a respectable return that hinted at what might be coming once he fully settled. This campaign tells a different story: just two goals so far and not a single Premier League start.
United tried to be cautious. After his disrupted pre-season, the coaching and medical staff eased him back more gently than usual, hoping to avoid exactly this kind of setback. His latest withdrawal from Slovenia duty, though, suggests the underlying issue has never truly cleared.
He has not played for his country since October 2025. For a forward who thrives on rhythm and confidence, those gaps matter.
United’s gamble with time
The international break now becomes a window of opportunity and risk for United. The club’s medical department will use the pause in domestic action to lock in a detailed rehabilitation plan and, they hope, give Sesko the extended rest his shin needs to heal properly.
The message from inside the club is clear: protecting him now is meant to guard against long-term damage. The question is how long “now” will last.
Because the fixture list is unforgiving. United return to the Premier League when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 10, a game that already carries weight in the battle for momentum and league position.
Carrick will want his €76.5m striker fit, firing, and finally ready to start. The medical team will want caution. Between those two demands sits Sesko, a young forward with a sore shin and a growing burden of expectation.
By the time Tottenham arrive at Old Trafford, United will know whether this is just a brief pause in his season – or the first sign of a longer, more complicated story.
