Former England defender Nicky Butt believes Nigeria’s Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, will be an ideal striker for Manchester United.
Butt commented on the Red Devils’ performance this season, stating that Benjamin Sesko lacks the firepower to consistently lead the club as its top striker.
In a conversation with the Mirror, Butt expresses his belief that the Red Devils can prevent a recurrence of history by relying on Osimhen to provide the team’s goals.
“I don’t think he can carry the club up front on his own; they’ll need another no. 9,” Butt said about Sesko in quotes revealed by the Mirror UK.
“He’s shown he’s got massive potential, great movement, and he works his socks off. He can score a goal, and you can see he’s good in the air, but he’s not the complete center forward for United at that level. He can potentially get there. When you go into the Champions League, it’s just a different kettle of fish. The tempo is totally different; the pressure on it is totally different. You’ve then got to come back and perform in the league, maybe two days later.
“They’re going to have to go out and buy a top, top player. I do believe in recruitment; there’s no point in going and buying a player who doesn’t improve the squad. You’ve got to go and buy the best player. I think Sesko will be a good player for United. I don’t think he needs replacing, but someone better than him that can lift his game as well,” the 51-year-old continued.
“I think he’d [Osimhen] be the one. You’d like to think that players from Turkish sides are gettable. The recruitment team will not only look at the best players, but also you’re looking at the gettable ones. You’re wasting time on certain players that you’re not going to get if they cost £120 million.
“I think he’s powerful and quick; he can run in behind; he’s strong; he’s got a good touch; he can score different types of goals; he’s good in the air. It’s a difficult job to recruit players, and maybe you go and find someone with potential, but they keep doing that, and it doesn’t quite work.
“Sesko has not quite worked. Rasmus Hojlund didn’t work. You’ve got to be careful spending £65m, £70m on unproven people; it’s not right. With Sesko, it’s the same mistake as Hojlund. A young, unproven striker, a lot of money, and too much weight on his shoulders. Let’s be honest, he’s scored a few goals, and he’s done well over the last few weeks, but he’s not been a roaring success.
“Sesko might be ready in two or three years, but not right now and definitely not in the Champions League. I know Osimhen isn’t proven in the Premier League, but you look at his physicality and the way he plays football; he can definitely handle it,” Nicky Butt concluded.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
