Benjamin Šeško's move to Manchester United: What it means for Rasmus Højlund

With Slovenian hitman Benjamin Šeško snubbing Newcastle United and opting to join Manchester United from RB Leipzig, a lot of Old Trafford exit talks have centered around another young striker on the Red Devils' books; Rasmus Højlund.

Following a promising debut campaign in United colours in the 2023/2024 campaign, in which he rattled the net 10 times in 30 English Premier League outings and eventually ending that season with 16 strikes in 43 matches across all competitions, the big Danish striker was toothless in the Premier League in his sophomore campaign.

In a season to forget for the Old Trafford club, the big Dane, also a youthful 22, could only contribute four goals in his 32 league appearances, although he posted slightly more impressive numbers in European club competition, notching six goals in his 15 games to leave him with a paltry 10 goals in 52 across all competitions.

United have been chosen as the 22-year-old Šeško's preferred destination, despite a reportedly higher bid from Middle Eastern petrodollar bankrolled Newcastle United, and his imminent arrival appears set to put paid to Højlund's career with the joint record English champions.

By all accounts, Højlund's 2024/2025 season was disastrous, yet he has shown glimpses of having finally caught on to the tactical demands of manager Ruben Amorim in United's promising pre-season tour across the pond.

Amorim is famed for being stubbornly steadfast in his belief in the 3-4-3 formation, and this would most likely see him spearhead his attack with Šeško in the number 9 role, flanked by fellow new boys, Cameroonian speedster Bryan Mbeumo down the right and the flamboyant Brazilian, Matheus Cunha down the left of the front three.

Although United will need to recoup money in the way of outgoings, to make up for the Mbeumo, Cunha, and Šeško acquisitions, they should think twice about offloading the former Atalanta marksman.

Should the Portuguese tactician not hastily discard Højlund, he could leave himself with an interesting option to tweak his formation, built on the foundations of his 3-4-3.

There is no reason why Amorim should not be willing to experiment with pairing the two young strikers in other back three based formations including a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-1-2 formation.

Some football analysts might argue that the two will not be able to play together, as is often argued by many in the game who advocate for a solitary number 9 ploughing a lone furrow up top against two centre-backs, but having two up front literally increases United’s goal threat.

Amorim will once more have to summon his tactical nous on how to navigate the utilisation of the two in the same line-up, but right now, with no European football, United have the chance to lay a full on assault on the Premier League and domestic cups and to do that successfully they will need as many attacking options as possible.

Besides this author’s clamouring for a twin pairing of Šeško and Højlund, the reality is that United’s striking options are scant at best and letting the Danish international depart would leave them with the new Slovenian acquisition as a senior striker, with only 17 year-old Chido-Obi Martin and a misfiring Joshua Zirkzee as back up.

According to several reports Šeško is expected to be unveiled as a new Manchester United player tomorrow at Old Trafford when the Red Devils host Italian Serie A outfit Fiorentina in what will be the home side’s final pre-season run out ahead of their season opener against Arsenal on August 17.

That season opener against Mikel Arteta’s Gunners will set the tone for United’s season and it will also serve as a perfect platform for the giant Slovenian to introduce himself to Old Trafford, and what better way to do so than to stick one past an Arsenal side whose advances he also snubbed in favour of a move to United? 

In his end-of-season speech to the Old Trafford faithful, at the culmination of the miserable 2024/25 campaign, Amorim promised that the good times would be returning to English football’s biggest club, and the backing he has received from the club’s hierarchy in the transfer market renders this the season for United to rise from the ashes of the past decade.

The 2025/26 season is a campaign of reckoning for the Red Devils, one in which they will be looking to restore their tainted dignity, and most importantly, their position as England’s leading club and thus bury the ghosts of the disastrous 2024/25 season.

IOL