Unknown things about Benjamin Sesko, MU's new expensive striker

Radece is a small town in the Lower Sava valley of eastern Slovenia. Of course, no one knows about it, and the only time the people of Radece got any publicity was when the world's potato chip festival was held there in 2009.

But that festival has been going on for too long to be forgotten. Fortunately, the 2,000 people of Radece no longer need it because they now have another source of pride, forcing the whole world to find out where Radece is located. Everyone is curious to know where Benjamin Sesko, the man considered the “new Erling Haaland” and idolized by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who just moved to Manchester United for €85 million, was born.

As mentioned, the town of Radece is too small for anyone to do anything without the villagers noticing. So, people can tell with great detail that in the old days, when Sesko was a child, he used to hang around the football fields in the town to watch his father Ales play football. Sesko didn't learn much because his father was a goalkeeper, whose main job was to keep the net clean. Sesko, on the other hand, liked to play as a striker and score goals.

Benjamin Sesko is the most expensive of MU's 4 new recruits this summer.

However, the greatest gift Sesko inherited from his father was his absurd height, at 1.92m at the age of 16. He soon became famous for his giant physique and super-awesome goal-scoring skills. A few years ago, the Guardian listed Sesko in the list of the 60 most promising players in the world. In it, the Slovenian striker was described as "quick and skillful enough to cause trouble for any defender", and "also very mobile and energetic to constantly move, constantly putting pressure on the opposing team's defense".

Rising to fame early, playing as a striker, possessing admirable muscles and explosive goalscoring, it is not surprising that Sesko is compared to Haaland. However, Sesko's representative, Elvis Basanovic, thinks differently. "At first glance they may look similar, but they are not," said Basanovic, "Haaland is wild and energetic, Sesko is more team-oriented, technical and fast."

As an agent, Basanovic will naturally say great things about his client, while also trying to build Sesko's personal brand rather than hiding in Haaland's shadow. But Basanovic doesn't exaggerate too much. Statistically, Sesko's speed is truly impressive, having reached 36.2 km/h, faster than Kylian Mbappe.

Sesko possesses impressive technique despite his large stature.

A Premier League scout added that Sesko's moves always have a technical element to them. "Look at the way he receives the ball. He's tall and quick, and has such good technique that even if his team-mates pass the ball incorrectly, he can still do something with it. He's also good with his feet, with passes at head height for most players," he said.

Sesko's outstanding qualities made him no longer Radece's alone. Dortmund, Juventus, Man City and Ajax quickly sought to lure Sesko when he was only 16 years old. But surprisingly, he chose Salzburg. The key point was the detailed analysis that Salzburg gave Sesko, clearly stating his strengths and weaknesses, why he was suitable for the club and the development plan for the following years.

So with a contract worth 1.5 million euros to Salzburg, Sesko became the most expensive player in Slovenian history. It did not take long for him to show that he was worthy of great expectations. In the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, Sesko scored 29 goals and had 11 assists in all competitions.

Sesko was involved in 47 goals in two seasons with RB Leipzig.

With cautious steps, Sesko once again rejected big teams, including MU, to join RB Leipzig. 39 goals, 8 assists in 87 matches in two seasons 2023/24, 2024/25 are impressive enough for MU to return. And this time, Sesko is ready for the challenge in the Premier League.

In Slovenia, of course, this is a big deal. They are not a country that produces sports superstars. But things are starting to change, with Luka Doncic becoming a five-time NBA All-Star and Tadej Pogacar winning his fourth Tour de France. Then there is Sesko, who at 22 has already made 41 appearances for the national team, scored 16 goals, and then signed for a big club in a big-money move.

But despite his rise to superstar status, Sesko remains a typical Slovenian. He is a tenacious, determined and incredibly ambitious player on the pitch. Off the pitch, Sesko is known as a quiet, unpretentious guy, always ready to listen and still learning.

As Ruben Amorim says, Sesko possesses the qualities that United need, and has a lot of potential to develop. In a period of strong change and comprehensive restructuring of the Red Devils, the 22-year-old rookie could become an important factor for many years to come.