Benjamin Sesko ruled out of Slovenia Nations League games with shin injury
Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will stay in England for further assessment after a recurring shin complaint forced him out of Slovenia’s forthcoming Nations League fixtures and kept him out of the club’s 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Sesko injury update
| Item | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Latest absence | Slovenia Nations League camp | Matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Switzerland |
| United update | Tests scheduled this week | An individual rehabilitation programme will follow |
| Last Slovenia appearance | October 2025 | Fourth international camp missed since joining United |
| Next United fixture | Tottenham, October 10 | Premier League match at Old Trafford |
The 23-year-old did not train after United’s 3-2 Carabao Cup loss to Brighton, leading to his omission from the Fulham match at the weekend. He will now miss Slovenia duty rather than report to the national squad, with United confirming on Monday that examinations will take place before a tailored recovery plan is decided.
The issue is understood to be a return of the shin problem that first troubled Sesko in the spring. He continued playing for around two months as United pushed for Champions League qualification, but the discomfort has not fully gone away.
In a message to supporters, Sesko said he was disappointed to withdraw from the Slovenia squad but accepted that recovery had to come first. He said representing his country had always been a matter of “heart and pride”, adding that he was already working towards returning quickly for both club and country.
The forward also backed Slovenia to cope without him in the upcoming games. He said he had faith in the group’s established collective spirit and would support them as their “biggest fan” until he is able to wear the shirt again.
This is the fourth Slovenia camp Sesko has been unable to attend since his €76.5 million (£66.4m) move from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2025. A knee problem ruled him out in November, while he sat out the March international window to manage the original shin concern. A further setback during the match against Liverpool in May then prevented him from taking part in Slovenia’s summer friendlies.
His most recent international cap came in October 2025. The sequence of withdrawals has led to reported friction between United and Slovenia’s staff, particularly as Sesko had said earlier this month that he felt physically “perfect”.
Sesko scored 12 goals last season, but his current campaign has begun slowly. He has two goals to date and is still waiting for his first Premier League start.
United will use the international break to manage the striker cautiously, with the aim of avoiding a more serious long-term issue. Michael Carrick will hope Sesko can make sufficient progress to be available when Tottenham visit Old Trafford on October 10.
