If
you ask Man Utd supporters on the streets of Manchester what they really want this season, the answer will probably come: Please don’t let us get embarrased in the Premier League. And for that you need goals in the Premier League, a lot of goals. 15th place in the PL last season was a historic low, the supporters dream back to players like Van Nistelrooy, Rooney or Solskjaer, who knew nothing but to score in the league. Now two striker candidates are left on United’s list, the question is which of the two can give the club the necessary boost in the Premier League.
For this season, it’s all about the Premier League. The Champions League ticket disappeared to Tottenham after the Europa League final loss, 15th place in the league is almost as far away as you can get a ticket to play in Europe. The 2025/26 season must show Ruben Amorim and the United players crack the codes to assert themselves in the world’s toughest league.
READ: Marcus Rashford tells how Hansi Flick and Barcelona will boost his career
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo come with their 15 and 20 Premier League goals respectively last season, so Amorim will start the season with two attacking players who have definitely cracked the code in front of their opponents’ goals. Now to the striker reinforcement that must come. On Tuesday, The Athletic reports that there are now two candidates left on the transfer market.
We have been through rounds with Osimhen (personal terms out of this world), Gyökeres (wanted to go to Arsenal), Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea (too stiff demand from Chelsea), Ekitike (wanted to go to Anfield) and various others. So who is both available and relevant for Manchester United, three poor weeks before the start of the season?
The Athletic gives us the latest update: Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins. The search for a new striker has thus been narrowed down to two players, where the United management has not yet decided which of the two strikers they will end up bidding for, reports the English media.
Okay, then we have Watkins with his 75 Premier League goals in 184 games, 29 years, 5 goals in 15 caps for England. A player made for the Premier League and experience that does not require much acclimatization when transferring.
Read on English Clubs: Club back after Manchester United again dump the price on Sancho – now it’s time to sign
Sesko has been considered one of the greatest striker talents in Europe in recent years, with RB Leipzig scoring 39 goals in 87 appearances. The challenge for Man Utd is the word can.
There are few sunshine stories apart from Erling Haaland about young players shining in the Bundesliga and being brought to the Premier League to do “more of the same”. With Sesko, however, there is a potential that points towards Erling Haaland level. The question is whether Manchester United can afford to take the risk, or bet on the already “tried-and-tested” Ollie Watkins.
