Worse than Sesko: Man Utd’s big-money flop is now becoming another Martial
Manchester United have become known for splashing the cash in the transfer market over the last few years, but it’s not resulted in any success in the Premier League.
Over the last three years alone, the hierarchy have invested over £800m on new additions, but no manager has been able to make use of the money spent.
The Red Devils have now gone over a decade without a league triumph, something which was unimaginable after Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure at Old Trafford.
However, Ruben Amorim will no doubt be hoping he can be the first manager to achieve such a success, but he will need a huge change in fortunes to achieve such a feat.
One player in particular has massively struggled under his guidance in recent months, with his big-money transfer now looking to be somewhat of a mistake.
How bad Sesko has been for United compared to PL strikers
In an attempt to land a new talisman during the summer transfer window, INEOS forked out a reported £74m for the signature of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
Given the nature of the transfer fee, such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but the move has been anything but successful during the last few months.
The Slovenian has already racked up 13 league appearances to date, only scoring on three occasions – subsequently showcasing his lack of impact under Amorim.
However, it’s his underlying stats that highlight his struggles in England’s top-flight, with many of his numbers ranking him lowly among other players in the division.
Sesko has only completed 0.2 dribbles per 90 to date, whilst also achieving a measly 16% success rate – subsequently putting him in the bottom 15% of all strikers in the league.
He’s also averaged just 3.6 touches in the opposition box per 90, whilst completing just 64% of the passes he’s attempted – again putting him in the bottom 15%.
It’s safe to say such numbers are way below what’s expected of such a big-money addition, with the player facing an uphill battle to ignite his career in Manchester.
The United star who’s becoming the next Martial
Spending big on a young striker hasn’t been alien to United, as seen with the move to land Anthony Martial from Ligue 1 side Monaco back in the summer of 2015.
The Red Devils forked out a reported £58m, including add-ons for the 19-year-old – with such a deal then being the most expensive ever paid for a teenager.
It looked to be a phenomenal piece of business at first, especially after the youngster came off the substitutes bench to net a superb effort on his debut against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
However, his stint in the Premier League was hugely inconsistent, as seen by his tally of just 90 goals within his 317 appearances over a nine-year period in Manchester.
Martial would subsequently depart on a free transfer at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024, subsequently showcasing his lack of impact given the mammoth fee paid for his signature.
In the present day, Amorim appears to have his own version of the striker in the form of Leny Yoro, with the Frenchman potentially mirroring his compatriot at Old Trafford.
He joined the Red Devils for a reported £52m in the summer of 2024, with the youngster having the potential to develop into a world-class talent in the years ahead.
The now 20-year-old made 33 appearances across all competitions last season, even scoring in the Europa League, which could have catapulted him to stardom.
However, this campaign has been a struggle for the youngster, which could see him follow Martial in failing to match expectations at the club after an impressive start to life after joining from Ligue 1.
Yoro’s showing against Aston Villa on Sunday was an example of his struggles, with the centre-back unable to help the side claim a crucial win in the Premier League.
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He was unable to stop opposition winger Morgan Rogers from cutting inside onto his favoured right foot on two occasions, with the Englishman’s two goals proving the difference in the contest.
Leny Yoro – stats against Aston Villa
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
84
Touches
61
Passes completed
95%
Duels won
50%
Interceptions made
0
Aerials lost
100%
Tackles
1
Fouls committed
1
Stats via FotMob
The youngster also only managed to win 50% of the duels that he entered, whilst failing to make any interceptions – which no doubt contributed to the defeat.
Yoro also committed a foul, whilst losing 100% of the aerial battles he entered, subsequently being dominated by the inform Villans attack in the West Midlands.
Given his tender age, there’s no doubt he has time to resurrect his career at Old Trafford, but it’s clear he’s in danger of following in Martial’s footsteps at the club.
He’s currently as unreliable as Sesko for Amorim in the Premier League, with two of their big money additions undoubtedly struggling to meet expectations at present.
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