Man Utd risk repeating mistake with Benjamin Sesko as finger pointed at Old Trafford duo

Signing Benjamin Sesko could present Manchester United with an all-too-familiar issue this summer. Former Red Devil Louis Saha has outlined the potential pitfalls which can come with relying on youngsters in crucial roles.

Talks for United to bring in RB Leipzig's 22-year-old frontman Sesko have accelerated since Viktor Gyokeres' transfer to Arsenal was confirmed. However, some fans may feel concerned at the prospect of another relatively inexperienced recruit spearheading the club's attack.

The Red Devils have had a succession of up-and-coming talents leading their line in recent years. Rasmus Hojlund, who turned 22 in February, and Joshua Zirkzee, who turned 24 in May, are among the latest examples up front.

READ MORE: Man Utd discover Benjamin Sesko asking price after opening talks with RB Leipzig

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim makes telling comment as he's quizzed on Rasmus Hojlund's Man Utd future

Sesko has now moved above the much more tested Ollie Watkins in United's summer wish-list pecking order. With Sesko seemingly open to joining too, despite interest from Newcastle who may need to replace Alexander Isak, it could spell trouble for the likes of Zirkzee and Hojlund – the latter of which Amorim couldn't even guarantee on Thursday morning would stay at Old Trafford beyond this summer.

It shows the huge pressure that comes with being United's striker, and Champions League-winner Saha made it clear, when speaking to Betway, how it's a lot for young men to handle.

He said: "Having the striker gives you confidence because whenever you’re not playing well, he’s able to actually score his own goals. He’s able to score the goals that are important and can change the nature of the games.

"It is very important that the manager finds this with the striker, and that also gives the right platform for Hojlund or Zirkzee to perform as well, because there is not so much pressure only on their shoulders."

There's a risk of the same sequence of events unfolding around Sesko should things not work out as hoped for the striker in England. The Slovenian has impressed in Germany and notched a career-best 21 goals in all competitions for Leipzig last term, but there's a sentiment among some United fans that a more hardened recruit, like Aston Villa talisman Watkins, is required.

On the profile needed, Saha added: "When you look at Europe, it’s not easy to find a No. 9 that is very consistent with his own ability to create his own chances. We’ve seen that Victor Osimhen has signed for Galatasaray, Benjamin Sesko was maybe signing for Arsenal, or now maybe United. Those targets are extremely interesting.

"You need those goals, you need that charisma at the very top of the field because it brings the confidence to the other players. I think those profiles are extremely important."

Asked whether United have missed that character and confidence from their attacking players in recent years, Saha replied: "I call it players with the balance of arrogance and humility. We had Ibrahimovic. I always felt that this guy was the perfect fit, because he had this charisma, arrogance, people would call it, but it’s not arrogance, it’s just confidence and hard work.

"The guy worked really hard and helped a lot of the players around him, so this is the type of character we needed. When you give that responsibility to 22-year-old and then 20-year-old strikers, they have to prove a lot of things. It’s extremely hard.

"I thought that it was a mistake to put that on the shoulder of Hojlund or Zirkzee and say, 'You are the guys, you are the No. 9 and you should go and score 30 goals to get us in the Champions League and challenge for the title.'"

Highlighting his concerns, Saha said: "I think it was a mistake and it needs to be addressed because this is how we build the confidence of youngsters. You can’t progress because you have had five or 10 good games. It’s not enough. You need a season or two, and then a real understanding of how things can change in a click. So all those things have been asked of youngsters, and I think it wasn’t fair."

There's of course no guarantee that even older players won't face issues. However, one would hope a more proven record in other top teams or leagues would lead to a higher guarantee of on-field results.

In that sense, United could make a mistake should they entrust their frontman role to yet another gem with fairly minimal top-level experience. It's understood Leipzig are demanding north of £70million for Sesko's signature, a similar risk to the Hojlund investment that has yet to bear much fruit.

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