Benjamin Sesko Set to Return for Manchester United's Season Start

Benjamin Sesko is expected to be fit in time for the start of Manchester United’s season, easing fears that the club’s new No 9 might begin the campaign on the treatment table rather than the pitch.

The 23-year-old has sat out United’s opening two pre-season friendlies against Wrexham and Rosenborg, but those absences were part of a carefully managed plan rather than a setback. Staff at Carrington are understood to be satisfied with his progress from a shin injury, with no deviation from the original schedule.

Sesko first picked up the problem late last season and aggravated it in the 3-2 win over Liverpool on May 3, a game that underlined his importance to United’s attacking structure. The club kept the full extent of the issue deliberately vague at the time, but the final three fixtures of last season, which he missed, are now expected to be the only competitive games he sits out because of it.

Last week brought a key step. The Slovenia international returned to outdoor work, moving from gym-based rehabilitation to ball work and controlled sessions on grass. If he continues to respond well, he has a genuine chance of featuring against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on Saturday, even if only for a limited spell.

The target, though, is Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on August 8. Barring any reaction, Sesko is likely to start that fixture, a game United view as a sharper test of their attacking patterns with the Premier League opener on the horizon. From Sweden, the squad will fly to Dublin for a six-day training camp that includes a high-profile meeting with Leeds United at Croke Park on August 12, their penultimate friendly before they face Hull City on August 22.

Sesko’s enforced absence has opened a window for Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman started against both Wrexham and Rosenborg, an opportunity that arrives against the backdrop of uncertainty over his future. United’s preference remains to move him on, but any permanent deal is complicated.

The numbers are stark. Zirkzee cost £36.5 million in July 2024, and United would need around £21m simply to avoid booking a loss on the forward. That figure makes a sale difficult in the current market and leaves a loan as the more realistic route. Interest from Serie A has persisted during his time at Old Trafford, and a return to Italy on a temporary deal is seen as the likeliest outcome.

United, meanwhile, continue to work on adding another striker to share the burden with Sesko. The club has been clear that the Slovenian will lead the line, but they do not want to leave him exposed as the only senior centre-forward across a long campaign.

One name that briefly swirled around Carrington was Danny Welbeck. United, though, have denied any contact with the Brighton forward, even as Chelsea made their move. Welbeck, who scored 14 goals for Brighton last season and has never hidden his openness to a return to Old Trafford, is out of contract next year and represents a short-term, experienced option for any club seeking depth.

Chelsea have now pushed ahead for the 35-year-old, leaving United to look elsewhere for support for Sesko.

For Erik ten Hag and his staff, the equation is simple: keep Sesko on track, resolve Zirkzee’s situation, and land one more reliable forward. The season will not wait for anyone.