Sesko confirms Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea’s worst fears – he’s another Darwin Nunez

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 14 Feb 2024 09:28 GMT
• 4 min read

Benjamin Sesko has spent much of the last two years linked with a transfer to the Premier League, where Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been associated with a player who has been dubbed the ‘next Erling Haaland’.

Indeed, these clubs, all so desperate to sign a centre-forward, would have watched Tuesday's Champions League match between Sesko’s RB Leipzig and Real Madrid with interest to see how the forward fare.

The result? Not bad. But not good enough.

The Premier League giants are all crying out for a No.9 who can come into their teams and score 20 goals a season in England’s top flight.

Sesko showed ample potential against Real Madrid, but his finishing lacked the kind of polish that a Haaland would have brought to the table.

The 20-year-old had a personal duel with Los Blancos’ keeper Andriy Lunin throughout the evening, yet it was the shot-stopper who came out on top as Sesko seemed to lack the kind of composure in front of goal one would expect of an elite striker.

What a performance from Lunin 👏

Some outstanding goalkeeping tonight 🤩@TurkishAirlines || #UCLsaves pic.twitter.com/94eXvUeSUx

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 13, 2024

There were elements of Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez to his play. He repeatedly got into good areas but his finishing was haphazard and was reliant on him simply hitting the ball hard and hoping for the best.

This has been a theme in his season. Although he has scored 10 goals in all competitions, with one arriving on average once every 118 minutes, he ranks only joint 18th for scoring in the Bundesliga. Harry Kane, the player Man Utd wish they’d signed, has 24, striking on average once every 78 minutes in Germany’s top flight.

Sesko’s record against strong opponents, too, is questionable. He has two goals this season against teams currently higher than 15th in the Bundesliga. His Champions League goals, meanwhile, came against Young Boys and two more arrived against 2.Bundesliga opponents in the German Cup.

For the moment, he is not scoring against the quality of opponents to justify the type of big-money move that is being discussed for him, and that was underscored against Real Madrid. His €50 million release fee looks a bet on potential.

Sesko has the potential but not yet the quality

It’s clear from the manner that he got himself into many promising scoring positions that the raw attributes are there for him to become a leading striker, but it became evident on the world stage against Real Madrid that he’s not there yet.

Liverpool spent over the odds when they signed Nunez for an initial €75m from Benfica, betting on the raw potential of the Uruguayan. But they could afford to - Mohamed Salah was already carrying them in terms of goals.

Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal do not have the luxury of a match-winning scorer in their ranks – Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka are their top league scorers this season with 10 – and cannot afford a €50m gamble on someone who simply might become elite.

Sesko needs another season, at least, in Leipzig.