Nicky Butt warns Manchester United could be repeating transfer mistake over Benjamin Sesko

Manchester United treble winner Nicky Butt has warned that history could be repeating itself over one of Ruben Amorim’s summer signings, saying the club risked placing too much responsibility on a young forward without a Premier League safety net.

Butt made the comments in an interview with BetMGM, relayed by the Sun, amid a summer of heavy recruitment at Old Trafford that saw the club spend about £214 million on new players. He singled out Benjamin Sesko, signed from RB Leipzig for around £73.7 million, and drew a parallel with Rasmus Hojlund, who left on loan to Napoli earlier this month after struggling to establish himself at United.

"I hope I'm wrong but I really hope they aren't making the same mistakes with (Benjamin) Sesko as they did with Rasmus (Hojlund)," Butt said. "A young player coming in with no Premier League experience, it just feels like history repeating itself." He added that he would have preferred United to add a more experienced striker to protect and guide emerging forwards, citing Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as an example.

United’s summer additions included former Premier League players Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Paraguayan forward Diego Leon. The arrivals came after Amorim took charge midseason and presided over a 15th-place finish in the previous Premier League campaign. United have won one of their first three league matches this season and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in an upset by League Two side Grimsby Town.

Sesko, 22, has yet to score from open play in the Premier League since his move to England, though he did score during a penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup tie. Hojlund, who arrived two seasons ago for a reported £72 million, scored 26 goals in 95 appearances for United but failed to solidify a starting role under two managers before his loan move to Serie A champions Napoli.

Butt argued that bringing in an established goalscorer would have provided a reliable option to relieve pressure on younger forwards during difficult patches. "When young players are just coming into the club, when the onus is on them to score goals, if they're having a few bad games, they have to have the safety net of being pulled out of the firing line," he said.

Amorim, who spent his first full summer shaping the squad in his image, has defended the recruitment drive as part of long-term planning. Club officials have described the window as aimed at building a competitive squad for multiple competitions, though early-season results and the cup exit have intensified scrutiny of the new arrivals.

United face continued pressure to turn performances around as the league season progresses. The debate over whether to pair youth with an immediate, experienced goalscorer is likely to persist while Sesko and other summer signings adapt to English football and expectations at Old Trafford remain high.