Benjamin Šeško's recurring foot injury: a test for Manchester United and Slovenia

Benjamin Šeško left the pitch after 65 minutes against Brighton with a grimace and his hand on his right foot. Three days later, Manchester United confirmed the 23-year-old forward had withdrawn from the Slovenia squad. That pain was not an accident. It was a warning about a problem that had been simmering since May, and both club and national team now face the prospect of losing their main striker in a decisive period. On Monday, Manchester United issued a short statement: Šeško will undergo further tests and follow a separate rehabilitation plan at Carrington. He will not join Slovenia during the September international window.

This is a four-match international window for Slovenia, with matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Switzerland. Coach Boštjan Cesar had planned for Šeško to lead the attack, but those plans collapsed after one medical check. Coach Michael Carrick also expressed concern after the Fulham match, where Šeško was not in the squad. This is not the first time his foot has caused trouble. He suffered a collision in May, missed the rest of the season, and then sat out part of pre-season. When the new campaign began, Šeško started four consecutive matches and played 65 minutes against Brighton before feeling a sharp pain.

Based on my experience following matches, Šeško's problem is not about direct collisions; it is about workload. A 23-year-old striker in an upward development phase needs a tailored plan. Starting four consecutive matches immediately after a long injury layoff is a risk signal. His body had not adapted to that intensity. When pain appeared in the 65th minute, it was not random. It was the limit of a foot bone reacting to accumulated pressure. Šeško's foot injury is the result of a rushed return, not a single impact.

Manchester United have lost Šeško exactly when they need squad depth. The Fulham game showed an attack without a final reference point. Before Tottenham on 10 October, the club's target is to bring him back, but this week's test results will decide. If it is only minor muscle tightness, a few days of rest may be enough. If it is a stress fracture, the layoff could be measured in months. Manchester United need to test backup options and review their load-management process for a young player with high transfer value.

The problem is not just one match. A congested fixture list after the international break will force the medical staff to make a long-term decision. If Šeško is given painkillers to play, the risk of worse damage increases. If he is rested completely, Manchester United must accept short-term points lost. This is a familiar dilemma for ambitious clubs. They often choose the safe route with young players, but pressure can distort judgment.

Slovenia face a more difficult situation. Without Šeško, they lose a centre-forward who can hold the ball, win headers and shoot from distance. Boštjan Cesar must change the attacking structure, perhaps using a different striker profile or building a more collective approach. Four matches without the main striker is long enough to expose weaknesses. If Slovenia struggle, the pressure will fall on their coach.

I may be wrong. If Manchester United's doctors decide the pain is only temporary overload, this story will be a small scratch and Šeško will return before Tottenham. I once rushed to call Morocco lucky when they beat Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, and I later had to publicly correct myself when the data forced me to look again. So I will not claim certainty about the severity. But I am sure about one principle: an injury that recurs twice in four months cannot be handled by waiting.

Looking more broadly, this international break is a chance for Manchester United to review their entire training and recovery system. A 23-year-old should not enter a new season with an unready body. Letting him start continuously right after recovery suggests a gap between the medical department and the coaching staff. Last season, Liverpool lost Ibrahima Konaté because they rushed him back, and the price was a long relapse. Coaching staff must listen to data, not just training results.

The real blind spot is Manchester United's tactics against Tottenham. They cannot impose their game without a centre-forward pressing from the front. Šeško provides physical presence that stretches opposition defences. When he is missing, attacking midfielders must move more, which reduces sharpness in the final third. If Manchester United put too much expectation on a player who has just recovered, they will repeat a mistake made by many big clubs: losing a season because they chased points.

Slovenia face a similar question. Boštjan Cesar may call up another striker, but a temporary replacement cannot recreate what Šeško brings. He not only scores; he creates space for the players around him. Without their main striker, Slovenia will have to drop deeper and wait for counters. That may work against Scotland, but against Switzerland they will need a more proactive attacking plan.

I do not believe in the idea of injury-prone players. I believe in systems that create injuries. If a young player keeps relapsing, look at the training plan, the fixture schedule and how he was brought back after injury. Šeško is at an important crossroads in his career. How Manchester United handle this week will say more than any press conference.

What I am waiting for is not the day Šeško returns, but how Manchester United manage this testing week. If they keep him out for one more match to be safe, that is a sign of a mature organisation. If they push him back just before Tottenham because of results pressure, the relapse risk will return. Šeško's injury is not just sad news during an international break. It is a test of how Manchester United and Slovenia value a young player over the long term. The answer will be exposed on the pitch, not in the press room.