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Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko may not play another match for the club until 2027. A troublesome shin problem has plagued the £73.7million centre-forward for the past six months. While this has continued to affect the 23-year-old recently, a new fitness concern has also hampered his availability over the last five weeks. Michael Carrick's medical staff have been monitoring his condition through routine assessments, though there are mounting concerns that he could be sidelined for an extended period.
So much so, United might be forced to address his absence during the January transfer window. United did not pursue a move for a back-up striker in the summer and have had to rely on Joshua Zirkzee, whom they tried and failed to sell.
They may need to rely on the Dutchman more as, according to The Sun, there are fears Sesko could be out injured for as long as four months. This would rule him out until February, meaning he would be absent for a substantial number of fixtures.
A more precise timescale for his comeback is expected to be revealed by Carrick in the coming days, after the United manager stated he would provide a clearer assessment at one of his forthcoming press briefings.
When questioned about Sesko's injury, Carrick said: "We're hoping really soon that we'll have a clear picture. I'm not trying to delay it. Hopefully next time we speak.
"Maybe not tomorrow, but by the end of the week, we'll have something a little bit clearer. There's a bit of work going on at the moment, so we'll see what comes out of that."
Last season, Sesko scored 12 goals following his big-money transfer from RB Leipzig. He has also been competing with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for the central role in United's attack.
This season, he has registered two goals across six outings in all competitions, including a powerful header during the 2-2 away draw with Everton and a goal in the 4-0 victory against Sabah.
Beyond Sesko, United have limited options for natural centre forwards. Rasmus Hojlund departed for Napoli this summer after the Italian club's Champions League qualification activated a mandatory purchase clause of £38m, following his loan spell last season.
Zirkzee has similarly never been regarded as a conventional striker, infamously describing himself as a "number 9.5" owing to his qualities being suited to both the No. 10 role and the No.9.
Last week, United were surprisingly linked to former Tottenham Hotspur forward Troy Parrott, who has been enjoying an impressive spell with Real Betis.
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