Tuesday evening marked arguably Benjamin Sesko’s brightest outing in a Manchester United shirt, with the Slovenian striker undoubtedly the shining light on anotherwise grim evening for the Red Devils.
The £74m man notably came close twice in the first half, seeing a well-taken effort deflect wide after good work down the left flank, while also agonisingly hitting the woodwork with a close-range header.
A second headed chance was also spurned after the break, following a delightful dink from Casemiro, with the 22-year-old certainly looking far more up to the task after a muted display against Newcastle United on Friday.
For all that positivity, however, the fact remains that Sesko has scored just twice for his new club heading into 2026, with United and Ruben Amorim having surely needed a ready-made solution after witnessing the woes of Rasmus Hojlund last season.
INEOS, at a time of turbulence at Old Trafford, have rolled the dice on an expensive attacking gamble – might they be set to do the same again?
Man Utd ready to raid the Bundesliga again
Dipping into the German market hasn’t been particularly fruitful for United of late, with Jadon Sancho looking set to leave on a free transfer in the summer – marking five years of woe since his £73m arrival from Borussia Dortmund back in 2021.
Sesko is the latest high-profile Bundesliga arrival in Manchester, although – for all the promise – he is in danger of heading the same way as Sancho, having been unable to hit the ground running at Premier League level.
If reports are to be believed, INEOS haven’t been put off by Sesko’s teething problems though, with Sky Sports reporting that United are rivalling Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the race for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande.
The report suggests that while a summer move is more likely, the Old Trafford hierarchy are ready to accelerate a move should any of those rival suitors look to pounce this month.
The piece does note that despite claims that the German outfit are looking for a figure around £87m, the 19-year-old is likely to fetch between £52m and £61m instead.
Why Diomande could be another Sesko at Man Utd
Hugo Ekitike and Nick Woltemade may suggest otherwise – having scored 15 league goals between them since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart, respectively – but the transition from life in the Bundesliga to the Premier League hasn’t always been a smooth one of late.
Just ask Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Sancho and now Sesko.
In the case of the latter man, he looks a far cry from the player who plundered 39 goals and registered eight assists in just 87 games for Leipzig, enduring a goal drought that now stretches back to early October.
After seeing Hojlund score just four league goals last season, INEOS thought it best to invest in another costly young striker, with the result perhaps as to be expected.
Would there be fears of something of a repeat if Diomande is to arrive next month, considering the size of the price tag and his relative inexperience?
At just 19, the undoubtedly talented winger – who journalist Bence Bocsak has hailed as a “generational talent” – has actually made only 16 appearances for his current side, albeit while chipping in with 11 goals and assists in that time.
The teenager made the move to Germany over the summer from Leganes, after making ten appearances in Spain, resulting in three goal involvements in all.
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Comfortable on either flank, the Ivorian speedster – who is lining up with Amad at AFCON at present – could be perfect for Amorim’s approach.
Diomande – 25/26 Bundesliga stats
Stat (per 90)
Diomande
Non-penalty goals
0.61
Assists
0.20
Shot-creating actions
4.66
Pass completion
81.3%
Progressive passes
4.05
Progressive carries
6.28
Successful take-ons
4.26
Prog passes received
7.91
Tackles
1.32
Interceptions
0.71
Stats via FBref
That said, investing upwards of £61m on a player with just 26 club career games under his belt at senior level appears far too much of a risk.
There is, of course, a fine line to be tread between avoiding high-profile, expensive deals for players past their prime – a la Casemiro – but also investing too heavily in players of potential who have yet to deliver on a consistent basis.
As Sesko has showcased, the step up to the pressure of the Premier League is a challenge for anyone, with United needing to be wary of being stung once again in the case of Diomande.
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