MU needs Sesko, not a Watkins who is already at his peak

On the current shortlist of the “Red Devils”, the two prominent names are Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig) and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa). Both are quality strikers, but if looking from the perspective of strategy, playing style, finance and statistical data - Sesko is the superior choice.

Sesko of the present and the future

At 29, Ollie Watkins is at the peak of his career. In the 2023/24 season, he scored 19 goals and had 13 assists in the Premier League, becoming the English striker with the most goals + assists in the tournament (32 direct contributions). The following year, this striker owned 16 goals in the top tournament of the foggy country.

No one can deny Watkins’ class in Aston Villa’s high-energy system. But it’s also impossible to ignore the fact that he is entering the twilight years of his career – and a fee of over £60m for a player approaching his 30th birthday is a huge risk for any club making a long-term investment.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko is only 22 years old. Standing at 1.95 meters tall and surprisingly agile with a top speed of 35.5 km/h (according to Bundesliga Data), the Slovenian striker is considered one of the most complete strikers of the new generation. In the 2023/24 season, Sesko scored 18 goals in 42 matches in all competitions, including 14 goals in the Bundesliga - an impressive achievement considering he only started 19 matches. The following year, the Slovenian striker scored 21 goals in all competitions.

Not only scoring goals, Sesko also showed sharpness in moving and creating opportunities: on average every 90 minutes, he made 4.1 moves into dangerous areas, created 1.8 shots for his teammates and had an accurate passing rate in the final third of the field of up to 81% - an impressive number for a center forward.

Ruben Amorim is a tactician who prefers a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation, where the striker not only has the task of scoring goals but also has to stretch the opposition defence, act as a wall, join the pressing and link up with the midfield. In this role, Sesko is much more prominent than Watkins.

Sesko is young, suitable for Manchester United.

According to Opta data, Sesko averages 18.6 presses per 90 minutes, with 6.2 successful presses in the final third – almost double that of Watkins (3.3). The Slovenian also has a 60% aerial success rate, and is a modern No. 9 who can drop deep, drift wide, or drag defenders out of position – opening up space for the likes of Mbeumo and Cunha to exploit.

Watkins, meanwhile, despite his hard work, is still a traditional centre-forward, playing on instinct, spending a lot of time in the box and needing a system to cater for him. It is unlikely that Watkins will be able to replicate his form at Villa in an environment that requires tactical flexibility like Amorim's United.

Investing wisely is investing early.

Aston Villa rejected a bid of more than £60m from Arsenal for Watkins earlier this year, a clear warning that if United were to make a serious attempt to sign him, the asking price could be in excess of £70m – a huge sum for a player in his late prime.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig are not “offering” Sesko for sale, but are always ready to negotiate when a reasonable price is offered. Sources from Germany said Leipzig are willing to negotiate at £65-70 million, including add-ons and performance clauses. More importantly, Sesko’s salary at Leipzig is currently only around £80,000/week, and even if it increases when he moves to MU, it is still significantly lower than the salary Watkins is receiving at Villa (estimated at nearly £140,000/week).

That means if you take into account both the transfer fee and long-term salary, MU will save tens of millions of pounds by investing in a young asset like Sesko, instead of betting on a "finished product" like Watkins.

Watkins was nearly 30 years old.

An important but often overlooked detail: the player's personal motivation. According to Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope, Sesko has had positive discussions with Manchester United, and was willing to reject Newcastle - the team that approached him - if United made an official offer. This shows the seriousness and determination of the player.

Watkins, meanwhile, has never publicly expressed his interest in United, and there is no indication that he wants to leave Villa - where he is the number one star and a regular starter. Signing a player who is not fully committed to the project is something that United have paid the price for many times, from Di Maria to Alexis Sanchez.

Benjamin Sesko is not the “cheaper option”, but the smarter choice. In an age where data and tactical effectiveness are paramount, United cannot let emotions – or the “Player has proven his ability in the Premier League” factor – guide their decisions.

Ollie Watkins is a good striker, but would be an expensive and short-term signing. Sesko, on the other hand, offers a rare combination: young, talented, tactically fit and with plenty of room to grow.

If United are serious about rebuilding under Amorim, they need to bet on the future - not continue down the same old path of "fire-fighting" solutions. And no one deserves that future more than Benjamin Sesko.

Source: https://znews.vn/mu-can-sesko-khong-phai-mot-watkins-da-o-dinh-cao-post1572985.html