When Manchester United spent €85 million on Rasmus Højlund last summer, it was meant to be the start of a new chapter, a long-term fix to the club’s ongoing striker problem.
Fast forward just one year, and you can’t help but wonder, did they jump the gun? Especially now that Benjamin Šeško, who cost nearly half that amount and carries a similar profile, is looking like the real deal.
Every United fan deserves to ask this question. Did the club once again make a decision based more on urgency and pressure than football logic?
One Year Later: Højlund Still Not the Trusted Striker
Nobody is saying Rasmus Højlund is a flop. That would be unfair. He’s shown good movement, raw power, and a willingness to fight. He scored a few important goals in the Champions League group stages and finished the season with double figures.
But there’s no hiding from the fact that €85 million is a massive fee for a player who was still learning on the job at Atalanta. He didn’t arrive with a proven track record. He arrived with potential.
And that’s where the problem starts.
You don’t spend €85 million on “potential” when your team is already struggling, especially not at a club where the pressure is boiling. United weren’t in a position to wait two or three years for a striker to grow. They needed someone who could hit the ground running.
And that’s not Højlund’s fault, it’s how United handled the whole situation. He was never meant to be the main man immediately. But that’s exactly what he became.
Meanwhile in Leipzig Šeško Is Already Shining
Now, here’s where it starts to sting a bit. Benjamin Šeško had been on United’s radar even before Højlund. He was younger, cheaper, and already showing signs he could be a top player.
By 2025, he was 21 and had signed a new contract with RB Leipzig after scoring 18 goals that season. He even finished the season by scoring in seven games in a row.
He stayed calm and focused when it really counted. And he did it all with minimal drama. Leipzig, smart as ever, increased his release clause to around €65 million. And guess who was circling again?
That’s right Manchester United. But this time, they lost out. Arsenal were in the mix too, but Šeško chose to stay in Germany for now.
And if you’re a United fan, you can’t help but think this feels like déjà vu. Another young gem, in your sights early, ends up growing elsewhere, while you overpay for someone else. Sound familiar?
It’s Not Just About Goals — It’s About Football IQ
There’s a calmness to Šeško’s game that stands out. He’s not just a runner or a physical presence up front. He’s smart. He knows when to drop deep, when to stretch the backline, and when to link play.
In some ways, his game mirrors that of a young Karim Benzema, someone who doesn’t just score but helps others score. He plays like someone who understand the game.
He plays in a way that makes everything look simple. He doesn’t force things. And in modern football, that’s gold. You don’t want a striker who’s only good in the box, you want one who knows how to be useful even when the goals aren’t flowing. Šeško offers that.
Højlund is still learning. You can see he’s trying, but he doesn’t always make the right decisions in front of goal. Sometimes his hold-up play works, sometimes it doesn’t.
He runs a lot, but he doesn’t control the game like Šeško. He has the ability, but he’s not there yet and that’s why comparing the two of them is frustrating.
He needs time. He needs patience. But does United have that time?
Did United Rush the Process?
Let’s be honest. United’s scouting and recruitment over the last decade have been all over the place. One year it’s panic buys, the next year it’s “long-term projects,” and in between, it’s players that don’t fit the system.
With Højlund, it felt like they were trying to fix two problems at once, buy a striker for now, and also one for the future. But those are two completely different signings.
You can’t expect a 20-year-old to carry the pressure of being Manchester United’s main number 9 straight away. Not when your team isn’t creating chances consistently, when your midfield is still unbalanced and when the manager himself is under constant pressure.
So when Šeško stayed at Salzburg and then moved to Leipzig in a controlled, smart step-up, it just highlighted how much better clubs like Leipzig are at developing talent.
United, for all their history and money, don’t seem to know how to build around a young player. They throw him in and expect miracles.
And then act shocked when it doesn’t work out straight away.
Fans Are Beginning to Doubt the Højlund Deal
Look, most United fans support Højlund and they see the effort.
They know he wants to succeed, But they’re also frustrated. The club needs a clear strategy, not just more hype.
And watching Šeško quietly become one of Europe’s most interesting young forwards without the media circus, without the pressure, only adds salt to the wound.
People on Twitter (or X, or whatever we call it now) have already started to compare stats. Goals per minute, shot conversion rate, progressive passes.
All those numbers point toward one truth, Šeško is ahead right now. And it’s not even close.
Some fans are even saying what they’re scared to admit out loud: that this feels like another Lukaku-Sancho-Memphis-style episode. You spend big, hope big, and then move on before the player ever finds his feet.
A Moment from Højlund’s First Season Fans Won’t Forget
One fan put it best during a podcast after the FA Cup final loss. He said, “This feels like when we bought Memphis Depay and let Kingsley Coman slip away. Or when we paid big for Maguire and ignored cheaper, better defenders in Europe. It’s the same cycle, big name, big fee, big pressure and then disappointment.”
You don’t forget those moments. And if Højlund doesn’t explode this coming season, this Šeško situation might join that long list of what-ifs.
And football fans never forget a good what-if. That’s the stuff that keeps people talking for years.
How United’s €85M Gamble Might Backfire
From a financial point of view, it’s a headache too. Spending €85 million on a player who might still need two more years to hit top level is risky business. Especially when you’ve got FFP (Financial Fair Play) rules breathing down your neck.
United now can’t go after other top targets as freely. And if they eventually decide Højlund needs competition or replacing, Šeško might be worth double by then or worse, be playing at a rival club.
Arsenal, for instance, were really pushing hard for Šeško. That’s a club that builds around smart profiles, not just flashy signings.
If he goes there next season, or even to City (don’t rule anything out with them), it could be another painful reminder of United’s poor timing.
Are Man United Repeating the Same Mistakes?
It’s hard not to feel like history is repeating itself at Old Trafford. The club that once set the standard for smart, long-term squad building is now chasing shadows. Players come in with hype and price tags but rarely with a proper plan.
Look at how City bought Erling Haaland. Clear profile. System built for him. And then look at how United bought Højlund, no plan, just hope.
You don’t win trophies with hope.
You win with vision. With strategy. With patience. And United haven’t shown enough of that lately.
What Man United Should Do Next
For United, it’s not about regretting Højlund. It’s about learning. If you’re going to invest big in youth, you better have a team around him that can support his growth. That means experienced attackers, solid midfielders, and a manager who doesn’t fear benching him when needed.
It also means better planning. If a player like Šeško is available at €24 million, and you know he’s got that upside, why aren’t you making the move first? Why let another club develop him, then try to buy him later at triple the price?
Right now, Højlund is on the edge. He could rise or he could get swallowed up. United must protect him. But more than that, they must stop making the same mistakes.
United Keep Making the Same Mistakes That Has to Stop
This isn’t just about Højlund vs Šeško. It’s about how Manchester United do business.
They’ve made the same kind of mistakes for years, buying potential for big fees, without the patience or structure to let it grow. And unless they change that approach, they’ll keep asking the same questions.
So, did they repeat a mistake? It’s not black and white. Højlund could still become a top striker. But what’s clear is that Šeško was there, was cheaper, and maybe, just maybe, was the better fit all along.
And now, all United can do is watch and hope this one doesn’t come back to haunt them.