Wayne Rooney gives verdict on Benjamin Sesko signing

Wayne Rooney is happy with the players in the door, but feels one key area hasn’t been addressed.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney praised the club’s latest signing, Benjamin Šeško, as the Slovenian prepares to make an immediate impact up top under Ruben Amorim.

Šeško was one of the hottest commodities this summer for multiple clubs. After a failed transfer to Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester United battled for the player’s signature.

The Red Devils emerged victorious in the end and presented the 22-year-old to the fans at Old Trafford ahead of their final pre-season friendly against Fiorentina last Saturday.

Rooney, a club legend and arguably the last great United goalscorer, believes Šeško will bring a lot to a side that struggled last season finishing 15th.

“You’d hope so,” Rooney said on BBC Sport. “I think it was very much needed. It’s great that they’ve identified the players they wanted quite early. Obviously they’ve got [Matheus] Cunha in, [Bryan] Mbeumo in”. 

“I think getting Šeško is a really important talent. I think as a target man No. 9, he’s quick, can use both feet and good in the air. I think that’s a very important talent for Manchester United.”

Rooney went on to further highlight the team’s need for a midfield player still, but others still doubt what Šeško, still young and raw, can provide this season.

“That’s the big question. This is the third No. 9 in three summers. In terms of stability, this is not good because you’ve got it wrong twice already. This one has to work, really” . 

“He’s great, he’s young, he’s never scored more than 13 league goals a season, though,” journalist and broadcaster Julien Laurens followed up regarding Šeško’s potential impact this season.

Towards the end of Rooney’s playing days and post-2017 when he left the club, the striker position has been a revolving door for the Red Devils.

Last year, Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee failed to make the position theirs.

Before that, the likes of Wout Weghorst, Anthony Martial, Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani and the ceremonious return of Cristiano Ronaldo were viewed as failed or unfuffilled signings in one way or another.

Amorim highlighted in United’s game against Fiorentina that the team struggled without a recognised striker to play off and through, something the Portuguese is now looking to remedy with Šeško.

United open their Premier League season on Sunday at home against Arsenal, a game spotlighted as a head to head between Šeško and new Gunners forward Viktor Gyökeres.