Frustrating and electrifying: The unfinished promise of Benjamin Šeško | OneFootball

His last touch against Tottenham Hotspur was an impotent header straight at the goalkeeper in the 90+5th minute, when Old Trafford was already rising to celebrate a goal.

His last touch against West Ham United a week later was ice-cold brilliance in the 90+6th — a world-class finish to rescue a point at the London Stadium.

That is Benjamin Šeško right now. Frustrating. Electrifying. Unfinished.

Those two moments neatly frame his early Manchester United career following his $90m arrival from German side RB Leipzig in the summer: raw edges and rare quality, sometimes in the same moment.

Yes, there have been too many snatched efforts, too many weak finishes and wayward passes for a striker of his price tag. But there have also been flashes that make you rise in your seat.

Price tags, pressure and patience

It’s important to remember that Šeško is still only 22.

In the modern game, price tags often overshadow context and patience is a luxury not afforded to many. But a 6ft 5in striker still learning the league, the tempo and the scrutiny of Old Trafford was never going to arrive as the finished product.

He needs time — and, crucially, he appears to have a manager willing to give it.

Interim head coach Michael Carrick has yet to start Šeško in five matches. Yet the Slovenian’s cameos have been too impactful to ignore. He has forced his way into the starting XI conversation.

That should not surprise anyone who watched him break the 20-goal-a-season landmark in Germany. Šeško scored 21 times in 45 games in all competitions last term after scoring 18 the year before.

He did not come to Manchester without a proper palmarès. He came as one of Europe’s most intriguing young No.9s. After a sluggish start at Old Trafford, which included time out with a knee injury, he now has five goals in his last six games. Momentum is building.

What Carrick sees in Šeško

Carrick, for now, seems to prefer Bryan Mbeumo’s mobility and versatility through the middle. And with four wins and a draw out of five games in charge it is hard to argue with his choice.

Šeško, however, offers something different.

Carrick has already been asked to highlight what he sees as Šeško’s strengths: playing on the last line and running in behind. But he also dominates aerially and possesses a ferocious strike from distance — something Premier League defenders have yet to fully experience.

At Leipzig he scored several goals from outside the box, including a 40-yard effort against Bayern Munich and a 78mph rocket versus Werder Bremen. That weapon is still waiting to be unveiled in England.

He looks tailor-made for certain types of games.

His goals have come against Brentford, Sunderland, Burnley, Fulham, West Ham and Brighton — teams comfortable in mid or low blocks. When space is tight and crosses are plentiful, a 6ft 5in striker with timing and power can be the solution.

Why Everton fixture could suit him

On Monday night, United travel to David Moyes’ Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. It feels like the right occasion to unleash the big Slovenian. Home supporters will expect a disciplined, defensive display — the kind of fixture that often turns into a Moyes masterclass.

On paper, it screams Šeško.

That is why some supporters questioned Carrick’s delay in introducing him against West Ham, only appearing in the 69th minute for Matheus Cunha in a match crying out for a focal point.

Of course, competition is healthy. In fact, it may save him. Old Trafford has seen this film before….

The Højlund lesson Manchester United must remember

The last young striker to arrive at Old Trafford full of promise was played to exhaustion. Rasmus Højlund was two years younger than Šeško when he joined in July 2023. After a debut season of adaptation, he was handed the No.9 shirt for 2024–25.

With no alternative centre-forward to share the load, he was played relentlessly. Confidence drained. Goals dried up. A promising striker buckled under a weight he was never meant to carry alone.

There was always a talented striker in there. He was simply asked to do too much, too soon. A return to Serie A with Napoli now appears to have put him back on track.

It is a cautionary tale. Šeško cannot be allowed to follow that path. He is not the finished article. He does not need to be. The talent is obvious. The ceiling is high.

Šeško is widely regarded as a top-tier striker in the making. But becoming elite level takes time. And, on this occasion, United must allow it.