Manchester United star Benjamin Sesko has failed to settle in at his new team since leaving RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to $100 million in the summer. However, Red Devils great Rio Ferdinand has asserted that Sesko should not be judged solely on the number of goals he scores.
Ferdinand has also likened the Slovenia international to a former Manchester United striker.
Manchester United Striker Likened to Two-Time Premier League Winner
During a recent chat on his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents, Ferdinand stated that Sesko’s ability to influence the game without scoring a goal is reminiscent of Louis Saha.
“Sesko (offers more) than (just) goals. Yes, the strikers will be judged on their goals, but internally sometimes there are things that they bring to the table that you go, ‘You know what, that is huge’. You know who was like that? Louis Saha,” the six-time Premier League winner commented (via GOAL).
Offering additional thoughts on Saha, Ferdinand remarked, “He was never going to win the Golden Boot at Manchester United. But in terms of his value to the team, he was a joke some of the stuff that he would do to enable others to play better. He would get us up the pitch at times, he would hold the ball for three or four seconds at times to give us a breather.”
Saha, who played for Manchester United from January 2004 to August 2008, registered 42 goals and 18 assists in 124 total matches for the Red Devils. On the other hand, Sesko has scored just two goals and laid out one assist in 15 overall appearances for his new club.
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Opining on Sesko, Ferdinand added, “Forget goals with him. His all-round game… I think with Sesko, listen, we still want to see the goals. But I’ve seen a few parts of his game that I go, ‘Oh, the other players are liking that’. I can see it. Manchester United haven’t had a striker who can just hold it up or flick it on for ages. Like just a simple little thing but effective.”
How Did Benjamin Sesko Perform Before His Manchester United Move?
Before joining Manchester United, Sesko established a reputation for himself during his spells with RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg. He shot to fame after scoring 18 times in 41 total games for Salzburg, an Austrian Bundesliga side, in the 2022-23 season.
Afterwards, the Slovenian secured a permanent move to Leipzig and relished a fine maiden season in Germany. He bagged 18 goals again in 42 overall appearances for the Bundesliga outfit in the 2023-24 campaign, winning the 2023 DFL-Supercup.
Last season, Sesko netted 21 times in 45 matches across all competitions for RB Leipzig.
