Manchester United only landed Benjamin Sesko after Arsenal opted to sign Viktor Gyokeres instead, but Peter Crouch believes that the former may prove a bigger hit in the Premier League
Peter Crouch is backing Benjamin Sesko to hit the ground running in the Premier League. Sesko has joined Manchester United in a £74m deal from RB Leipzig and will play alongside Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in a new-look £200m attack.
The 22-year-old got 21 goals in 45 games for Leipzig last season and is one of a handful of exciting new strikers in the league. “The favourites for the Golden Boot will be Alexander Isak, if he gets his situation sorted out, Erling Haaland and Mo Salah, the same old faces,” Crouch told Mirror Football.
“But out of the new faces, Sesko is the one that I like watching. I’m excited by him. There’s still the fact that he hasn’t played in the Premier League and that is something that you have to look at.
“Can he settle straight away? But he’s the player that excites me the most out of the new signings.”
READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Donnarumma to Man City, Liverpool agree £26m deal, Man Utd’s Baleba alternativeREAD MORE: Arne Slot makes Liverpool title claim as new deal sees transfer spend pass £300m
Sesko has landed at Old Trafford after Arsenal opted to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon instead. The Gunners paid £64m for the ex-Coventry man, who netted a staggering 54 times in 52 games for Sporting last season.
Gyokeres was considered by Ruben Amorim for a reunion at United, but will instead work under Mikel Arteta this season. Arsenal scouted Sesko heavily over the past few seasons before going for Gyokeres, yet Crouch is more excited by the Slovenia international.
“Obviously he’s a proven goal scorer. I know someone who worked with him when he was in England previously,” the ex-Liverpool striker said of Gyokeres ahead of United vs Arsenal on Sunday.
“It was strange that he was let go. He went out to Sporting and banged in loads of goals and I’m sure he can do the same for Arsenal. But how quickly will he settle?
“It strikes me that Sesko is the man to hit the ground running. You just never know. If he gets a couple of goals then he’ll be full of confidence, he could go on a mad run because he’s more than capable of it.”
United have invested heavily at the top end of the pitch after managing a measly 44 goals in 38 games as they finished 15th last season. Alongside Sesko, they have gone for proven Premier League quality in the form of Cunha, who scored 15 times in the league for Wolves in 2024/25, and Mbeumo, who bagged 20 goals for Brentford.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who will score more goals this season: Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres? Comment below.
Crouch thinks that their new firepower can propel United well up the table this season. “There are some great signings,” he said. “But the forward line needed work, didn’t it? It was misfiring all last season and Bruno Fernandes got them out of a real hole at times.
“Cunha and Mbeumo – it’s not like they haven’t played in the Premier League, they were both brilliant and scored a lot of goals last season. And Sesko is a top player.
“I think they will be a force. It was an awful year for them last year. I think there will be a huge improvement and they will finish in and around the top six.”
Peter Crouch was speaking ahead of Paddy Power’s most generous start to a season ever. With Super Sub your bet carries on – even if the player you’ve bet on comes off, meaning even more chances to win. With more FREE Bet Builders than ever before, there’s nowhere better to place your punt.
