‘Not Quite’—Michael Carrick Offers Worrying Benjamin Sesko Injury Update

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has confessed the club remain none the wiser as to the severity of Benjamin Šeško’s latest shin injury.

The striker pulled out of Slovenia’s international roster late last month after missing United’s 1–1 draw with Fulham, having suffered a problem with his shin.

A similar shin injury struck Šeško down in May and ended his 2025–26 season prematurely. He subsequently didn’t participate in preseason in order to focus on building his fitness back up during the summer and had primarily featured off the bench prior to this fresh setback. While the latest issue is not exactly the same, Carrick confessed it is eerily similar.

“It’s not the exact issue,” Carrick said of Šeško’s setback. “It’s a similar area, but it’s not the exact same thing again.

“And we’re kind of still working through it a little bit of seeing how long the issue will be. We’re hoping that it’ll be soon, obviously, but at this moment it’s still not quite clear.”

The Ongoing Sesko Mystery

Benjamin Šeško, Michael Carrick — Michael Carrick (right) is still in the dark. | Joe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty Images

The fact that this latest shin problem is even slightly connected to the problem from back in May will be of huge concern to United, who will be fearing a long-term injury that may have developed into something more serious.

Those fears are clear by the fact United still do not have a full grasp on what is going on with Šeško’s shin over three weeks after he suffered the new problem. The utmost caution is evidently being taken.

“I think he had recovered really well actually from the initial one, and there was a lot of time, and sometimes things get thrown up,” Carrick explained.

“The body does certain things, and we’ve got to react to that and try and get him back as quick as we can.”

Proceeding with caution is the right thing to do, even if Šeško’s ongoing, indefinite absence is a major blow to Carrick’s senior squad.

Man Utd’s Striker Options Without Sesko

Joshua Zirkzee is in line for more minutes. | Molly Darlington/Getty Images

Šeško has not actually started in the Premier League for United so far this season, with Brazil international Matheus Cunha leading the line up to this point in the campaign.

Cunha can continue to start games in Šeško’s absence, but the biggest concern for Carrick will be the depth options, or lack thereof.

Joshua Zirkzee is now the first reserve. The Dutchman was expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer, having underwhelmed with a return of just nine goals in 79 appearances across all competitions for United.

If Šeško needs another extended spell on the sidelines, plenty of faith is going to have to be placed in a player who, up to this point, has been available for transfer and could still leave the club in January if the right offer arrives.

Right winger Bryan Mbeumo also has experience playing in a central role, but he has played every minute of the season so far out wide. An injury to Amad Diallo, who has only just returned to light training, has tied Carrick’s hands in that regard.

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