Elvis Basanovic expects his client to return to the pitch “very soon”
Benjamin Sesko is closing in on a return from the knee injury that has kept him out for nearly a month, with his agent saying the Manchester United forward is “impatient” to get back on the pitch.
The 22-year-old has been unavailable since suffering the injury during United’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham on 8 November. His absence has coincided with a difficult run for Ruben Amorim’s side, who are also facing the prospect of losing Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to the Africa Cup of Nations immediately after next Monday’s home game against Bournemouth.
Sesko joined United from RB Leipzig for £74m in the summer and has scored twice in 11 league appearances so far. United have not offered a timeline on his return, but Amorim said he expected to have him back “when [the other guys] are going to the Afcon”.
The Slovenian’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, suggested the forward was not far off.
“Benjamin is feeling very good, his rehab is going as planned,” Basanovic told Arena Sport. “He’s really eager to return to the pitch – he misses playing. He’s missing games and he’s a bit impatient, so hopefully he’ll be back soon and be where he feels most comfortable.”
Basanovic said the club’s medical staff would have to be the ones providing any specific return date.
“It’s hard to say exactly, that will be more up to the medical team and the coach,” he said. But I think we’ll see him very soon on the field, perhaps even sooner than it might seem at this moment.”
United rebuilt their forward line over the summer with the arrivals of Sesko, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Injuries have limited their time together, something Basanovic believes has slowed the team’s progress under Amorim.
“United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest, and people don’t understand you need time,” said Basanovic. “Just look at Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko, they have played very few matches together and I think that they especially need games to develop an understanding.”
Basanovic praised Amorim’s handling of Sesko since he joined the club.
“I must say he received Benjamin excellently,” said the agent. “I think Ruben first of all is an excellent person with fantastic charisma, extremely intelligent – emotionally intelligent – and I think he knows what he’s doing.
“He is a coach with his own vision to bring United to the top, but he definitely needs time,” he said.
“It’s extremely difficult to explain in a big club because nobody wants to give you time at Manchester United and similar clubs because everyone wants immediate results.”
