Nicky Butt says Man Utd should have signed £60m star instead of Benjamin Sesko | Football

Nicky Butt fears Manchester United have made a mistake by signing Benjamin Sesko instead of a more ‘experienced striker’.

Ruben Amorim, keen to increase United’s threat in the final third, put his faith in Slovenia international Sesko.

The Red Devils tried to sign Viktor Gyokeres earlier in the summer but pivoted to Sesko after the Swede joined Arsenal.

Newcastle United were also interested in Sesko but Manchester United won the race, signing the 22-year-old from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £74m.

Sesko scored 39 goals in 87 appearances for the Bundesliga side, including 21 in all competitions last season.

He is viewed as one of the most promising forwards in Europe but United hero Butt is concerned he will emulate Old Trafford flop Rasmus Hojlund.

Hojlund failed to make the grade at United following his £72m move from Atalanta and moved to Napoli during the summer transfer window.

Given his reservations about Sesko, Butt wishes Manchester United had instead spent the money to sign ‘experienced Premier League striker’ Ollie Watkins.

Watkins was linked with a move in during the summer transfer window and Aston Villa were believed to want around £60m for the England international.

Asked if he was impressed by United’s summer business, Butt told BetMGM: ‘I was and I wasn’t.

‘I know [Matheus] Cunha has done really well over the last couple of seasons but I would really like an experienced striker.

‘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].

‘A young player coming in with no Premier League experience, it just feels like history repeating itself.

‘Honestly, for what it would have cost, I would have gone and brought in someone like Ollie Watkins, someone to help and pull the young strikers out of a bad patch.

‘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.

‘Ollie Watkins, or someone like that, would be who I would have been looking to bring in.’

Sesko will hope to bring some much-needed firepower to a Manchester United team that finished just 15th in the Premier League last season.

Amorim’s side have four points after three games after beating Burnley, drawing with Fulham and losing to Arsenal.

‘I think everyone will have different views on what represents success for United this season, whether that’s the FA Cup, top four or whatever,’ Butt added.

‘But for me it’s all about getting some belief back into Old Trafford where teams don’t enjoy playing there.

‘No one should like coming to Old Trafford. It’s that simple. Last season you had, no disrespect to these teams, but the likes of Wolves running all over us at home. The fear factor has to come back.

‘Even if we know they aren’t going to win the league or finish in the top four, against the likes of Arsenal or Manchester City or Liverpool at Old Trafford, United still have to put a real shift in and give them a proper game.

‘You might draw or lose 1-0, but they have to look like they’re back on the up. The away form has always been good. The fans travel in their numbers and are amazing. When things aren’t going well, it seems to be the home games that are the toughest.

‘If we can bring back the DNA, that fear factor, then that is a massive step in the right direction.

‘Top six and bringing the confidence back to Old Trafford, get people scared to come there again, that would be an aim this year.’

After the Premier League was put on pause due to the international break, Manchester United return to action on Sunday against local rivals Manchester City.

Sesko will look to open his account for the Red Devils against Man City, who have lost two of their first three games of the new season.

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