Man Utd urged to sign £40m Sesko babysitter in ‘mentoring role’ – why it’s a ‘great option’

Former Manchester United defender Danny Simpson believes the club need to take some heat off big-money summer signing Benjamin Sesko and bring in an experienced former Premier League No.9 who can help ‘mentor him’.

The Red Devils splashed out £74million (€85m / $98m) when they landed Sesko from RB Leipzig in a move to refresh their attacking options after scoring only 44 goals in the Premier League last season.

The Slovenia international has taken time to adjust to his new surroundings, but he did score in back-to-back games prior to the current international break – showing some signs that he is starting to get to grips with English football in the process.

With Rasmus Hojlund having departed for Napoli on loan and going well in Italy, Man Utd have put big-time pressure on Sesko to be the main man up front, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Joshua Zirkzee all backup striker options – albeit not their preferred position.

Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes was particularly critical of the club’s decision to rely solely on Sesko, who was harshly voted by agents as the worst signing of the summer.

Scholes said: “It’s like Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) coming over to us when he was 22 and we had no other centre-forward and he was the one playing every week. You’d kill him!”

And now former United full-back Simpson has called on his old club to address that issue in the January window.

“When you look at Sesko, I think having an experienced striker with him would be good for him,” Simpson told Metro via MyBettingSites.com. “Then sometimes you can bring him out of the firing line.

“I do believe they should have two strikers, it just depends whether one’s a bit more senior, just to give him that mentoring role.

“That’s something I would definitely look at.”

DON’T MISS ➡️ Eight signings worse than Benjamin Sesko this summer after brutal Man Utd verdict

Man Utd urged to sign 202-goal Ivan Toney

Simpson’s thoughts, meanwhile, extend to England international Ivan Toney being a good fit for United – if the former Brentford forward is looking for a way back to the Premier League.

Toney has scored an impressive 38 goals in 54 Saudi Pro League games for Al-Ahli, but has seen his World Cup hopes fade since his £40m move in 2024, having only featured in one of Thomas Tuchel’s squads since the German’s arrival as Three Lions boss.

“He’s obviously got the temperament and he knows the league,” Simpson said of the 29-year-old, who is also on the radars of Tottenham and Chelsea.

“I actually think as well, because he’s been out in Saudi Arabia, he would actually now come back to maybe play a different role where you are a rotation option.

“You’re going to get a lot of games, but you might start, you might come off the bench. So I think that’s something, if I were him, you can’t turn that down.

“Coming to the club like Man United and playing a different kind of role, because you’ve been in Saudi Arabia – that might give him a chance to get with England in the summer, because we’re still short of various strikers.

“So yeah, something might brew there. I do know Ivan – I’ve not spoken to him about it, but I just think that’s a great option.”

Latest Man Utd news

First up, United are once again expected to block Kobbie Mainoo from leaving the club in January, if he seeks a move, following the latest developments.

Elsewhere, Liverpool and Man Utd are the primary suitors for two of three in-demand Crystal Palace stars, and TEAMtalk has learned whether any of the trio are likely to move in January.

And finally, an agent has expressed his disbelief that Marcus Rashford earned a loan move to Barcelona after struggling at United, as England head coach Thomas Tuchel gives advice to the forward on how to revive his career.

HAVE YOU JOINED?💫 Get the inside story first by joining the TEAMtalk Facebook channel to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.