Throughout the summer, there appeared to be a disconnect between Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim and the club’s hierarchy over transfer priorities.

The delay in signing a new goalkeeper raised eyebrows, but the £74 million arrival of Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig seemed like a decisive move—a show of faith in Amorim and a signal of intent to fix United’s long-standing issues up front.

Šeško: A Statement Signing That Hasn’t Delivered

The Slovenian’s arrival was meant to solve United’s scoring problems after difficult spells for Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Højlund last season. Given Šeško’s record of 39 goals in 87 games for Leipzig, there was genuine belief he could be the lethal finisher the club needed.

In contrast, the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford—though backed by strong Premier League credentials (70 goals and 51 assists in 242 appearances)—didn’t generate the same buzz. The Cameroon international, more often deployed as a winger, was viewed as a useful addition rather than a marquee name.

A few months into the campaign, however, it’s Mbeumo—not Šeško—who has emerged as United’s most reliable attacking outlet.

Struggling to Adapt

Šeško has found life in the Premier League far tougher than expected. His lack of pace and hesitancy in front of goal have been exposed repeatedly, most notably against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

With United leading late on, Šeško was played clean through by Mason Mount but took too long to shoot, allowing Micky van de Ven to recover and clear. In more than 30 minutes on the pitch, he managed only three touches in the Spurs box—without a single shot at goal.

Despite showing decent movement, Šeško’s overall impact has been limited. His shot conversion rate sits at just 8.3%, far below Mbeumo’s 20.7%.

Mbeumo Shining Under Amorim

Mbeumo, on the other hand, has quickly become indispensable. Twelve games into the season, he’s already scored six goals—four more than Šeško—including a well-taken strike against Tottenham that nearly handed United victory.

His improvement isn’t just in front of goal. The 26-year-old’s link-up play and work rate have been outstanding. Mbeumo boasts an 80.5% pass completion rate compared to Šeško’s worrying 64.6%, the lowest of any United outfield player. He’s also won back possession 34 times—more than double Šeško’s 13 recoveries.

A Tale of Two Forwards

While Šeško edges Mbeumo slightly in one-on-one duels (36.3% to 31.6%) and dominates in aerial battles (28 successful headers to Mbeumo’s three), these strengths have yet to translate into meaningful contributions in front of goal.

Adapting to the Premier League’s intensity will take time, and patience is required. But with United chasing consistency, Amorim may need to consider taking Šeško out of the spotlight temporarily to rebuild his confidence.

Doing so would be an admission that United may have misjudged their summer strategy once again—but right now, it’s Mbeumo who is repaying the club’s faith, proving himself not only the smarter signing but the more complete attacker in Amorim’s evolving system.