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Benjamin Šeško's connection with Manchester United dates back to his adolescent years, long before he had even made his senior debut in Slovenian football.
The 16-year-old was playing for NK Domzale's youth academy when United first expressed their desire to sign the physically gifted forward. Šeško had grown up looking up to Zlatan Ibrahimović, who had departed United just the year prior, and had developed a strong passion for English football. Nevertheless, the young player and his experienced representatives chose to resist the allure of the Premier League giants.
Šeško eventually made the move to Austrian powerhouse RB Salzburg in 2019, briefly dropping down to the Red Bull group's affiliate club FC Liefering for two developmental years before cementing his place at the title-winning outfit. United would approach Šeško again during his Austrian stint, but once again the striker identified a more logical stepping stone he felt compelled to use before taking the plunge into England's top tier.
"It was just the moment that we decided, because I think it was important," Šeško told The Athletic a year after finally departing RB Leipzig to join Old Trafford in 2025. "It would be a little bit too huge of a step for me to jump from Austria, from Slovenia directly to Manchester United, so I just needed those steps to get better."
Sesko's Steady Rise
According to Opta.
Šeško's cautious approach is completely understandable. Had he been unable to break into a side competing in Slovenia's top division—ranked 58th globally according to Opta's statistical analysis of international leagues—he would have had little hope of making an impact at Manchester United.
The Austrian Bundesliga offered a manageable challenge for the rapidly developing forward, while a move across the border to Germany allowed him to face tougher opposition without a dramatic shift in playing style. Even with that carefully managed progression, Šeško still encountered some early struggles in his debut season at United—netting just two goals before the new year—but has since found an impressive scoring rhythm under Michael Carrick.
Sesko's Sacrifice to Join Man Utd
By the time Šeško was finally persuaded that he was prepared for the move to Manchester United, he was ready to go to any lengths to make it a reality. With competing interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United, the striker's agent, Elvis Bašanović, highlighted the concessions his client was prepared to make.
"Every time a deal doesn't go through, there are many different factors involved," Bašanović reflected last year. "I think it was also important that Benjamin's desire has always been Manchester United. Because of that, he was willing to accept a slightly lower salary and I also accepted a lower commission. Simply put, it was the player's dream. We are overjoyed."
While Arsenal ultimately turned their attention to Viktor Gyökeres and claimed the Premier League title, Šeško showed no signs of regret. "I am way better, especially than last season," the 23-year-old said confidently ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby.
"Obviously I changed the country, everything was new for me but now for me it's like I'm really enjoying. I'm happy here, I love life here, my teammates are perfect and I can't really complain about anything."