Two of Spain’s biggest clubs came calling for Benjamin Sesko this summer. Both got the same answer. No.
According to TeamTalk, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid each explored the possibility of signing the 23-year-old Slovenian striker from Manchester United. The club’s response was about as firm as it gets. Sesko is not available. Not for negotiation. Not for any price.
That stance looks a lot different now than it might have six months ago.
From slow start to second-half surge
Sesko arrived at Old Trafford last summer for more than £70 million. The early months were rough. Adaptation issues, limited minutes, inconsistent form — all the things that can derail a young striker at a club with as much scrutiny as United. It wasn’t looking great.
Then Michael Carrick took over.
The former United midfielder made Sesko a priority from day one. And the striker responded. Big time.
Here’s the number that matters most: No player in the Premier League scored more goals than Sesko during the second half of the 2026 season. That’s not a typo. He led the entire league over that stretch. And he only started 17 league matches all season. His final tally of 11 Premier League goals looks modest at first glance until you realize almost all of them came after the turn of the year.
Why United won’t budge
Barcelona’s interest makes sense. They’re still prioritizing Julian Alvarez but need backup plans if that deal falls through. Atletico Madrid’s situation is more complicated — they’re worried about Alvarez’s future and Alexander Sorloth could leave. Both clubs looked at Sesko as a potential solution.
United’s position hasn’t changed. Sources close to the club say Sesko is considered part of the foundation for the next phase of the project. The only attacking additions they’re exploring are tied to Joshua Zirkzee’s expected departure, not any doubt about Sesko’s role.
And then there’s the Carrick factor. People close to Sesko say he genuinely loves playing under Carrick. The freedom and confidence Carrick has given him matters. That kind of relationship between a manager and a young striker is exactly the kind of thing United’s best teams have been built around before.
From a fan’s perspective, this is the kind of stance you want to see. United have been burned before by selling young talent too early or failing to build around emerging players. This time they seem to have a clear plan. Sesko is the centerpiece, not a trade chip.
If he keeps scoring at the rate he did in the second half of last season, Barcelona and Atletico won’t be the last elite clubs to get turned away.
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