Benjamin Sesko Faces Injury Setback at Manchester United

Benjamin Sesko faces another spell of uncertainty on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of a shin injury that has already disrupted his first months at Manchester United.

The Slovenia striker has withdrawn from his national team squad for the current international break and will undergo medical examinations this week, according to The Athletic. The problem is the same one that dogged him over the summer and originally surfaced in the spring, when he played through pain as United chased Champions League qualification.

United moved quickly to calm fears but stopped short of offering a timeline. In an official update on Monday, the club confirmed: “Benjamin will undergo tests this week before defining his individual recovery plan.”

For now, that plan does not include the pitch.

Carrick left waiting for answers

The first alarm sounded after the 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton. Sesko missed training in the aftermath and then sat out the 1-1 Premier League draw at Fulham, his absence sharpening the focus on United’s thin attacking options.

Speaking after the stalemate at Craven Cottage, Michael Carrick admitted the club are still in the dark over how serious the setback might be. He said Sesko felt pain following the Brighton game and was never in contention to face Fulham, stressing that United must “see what that brings” once the tests are completed.

For a player signed to be a central pillar of United’s new era, the stop-start nature of his season is becoming a real concern.

Big fee, slow start

Sesko arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2025 for €76.5 million, with a further €8.5m in potential add-ons attached to the deal. The price tag underlined United’s belief that they had secured one of Europe’s most promising young forwards.

The numbers so far tell a different story. After scoring 12 goals last season, he has only two to his name in this campaign and is still waiting for his first Premier League start. United already handled him cautiously following his pre-season absence, extending his rest in an attempt to clear up the shin issue once and for all.

It clearly hasn’t gone away. His withdrawal from international duty, having last played for Slovenia in October 2025, underlines that the problem remains unresolved rather than fully managed.

United’s delicate balancing act

The international break now becomes a crucial window for United’s medical staff. The club intend to use this period to finalise Sesko’s rehabilitation schedule, with the hope that a sustained spell of rest and a tailored programme can stave off any long-term damage.

That is the tightrope: push him too hard and risk a chronic problem, or hold him back and accept a reduced attacking threat in the short term.

The calendar offers little sympathy. United return to domestic action with a high-stakes clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 10. Carrick will want his marquee forward available, sharp, and pain-free.

Whether he gets that version of Benjamin Sesko may say a lot about how United’s season unfolds from here.