Nicky Butt urges Michael Carrick to replace £74m Man Utd signing | Football

Nicky Butt has named his two ‘dream’ Manchester United signings and urged the Red Devils to replace £74m striker Benjamin Sesko.

Sesko endured a difficult start to his Old Trafford career following last summer’s move from RB Leipzig, scoring just twice in the first-half of the season.

But the Slovenia international has look much-improved since Ruben Amorim’s sacking in January, netting eight goals in his last 13 games.

Butt believes Sesko will ‘do okay’ for Manchester United but doubts he is the answer for the club long-term, viewing him more as a ‘support act’.

As a result Butt has named prolific striker Erling Haaland as one of two ‘dream’ signings for his former club ahead of the summer transfer window.

Asked which Premier League players he would love Manchester United to sign, Butt said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast: ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this but Erling Haaland.

‘He’s just always a goal threat, he can do nothing for 89 minutes and then pop up and score a goal.

‘Looking at United’s centre forwards, I think Sesko will be alright but that’s not enough for United. I think he will do okay and is a good support act but he’s the only out and out forward there.

‘If I could have two I would have a midfielder as well and go with Declan Rice.

‘I remember talking about Rice when Scott McTominay was still here and I said if you had Rice and McTominay, with Bruno ahead of them, then that’s your ultimate midfield.

‘That was the kind of target United should have been looking at because they’re still huge commercially and can afford to pay big wages.

‘That’s what they should have been looking at and thinking out of the box.

‘If you look back at the heyday of Man United and even the backend of Fergie’s reign, United would always go and get the best player in the Premier League.’

Ex-Manchester United striker Michael Owen has also advised the Red Devils to ‘upgrade’ Sesko in the summer as he is ‘not the answer’.

‘To me, he’s not the answer long-term,’ Owen told casino.org. ‘He’s not the Manchester United centre-forward forever and ever.

‘He’s an expensive player who can get better and be a nice part of their squad, but equally, if United are playing in their biggest game of the season tomorrow, I don’t think he starts.

‘If Manchester United are wanting to get back to where they feel they belong and challenge for the title, I don’t think he’s the centre-forward that you go into the season with all your hopes pinned on. 

‘Yes, he’s doing better. It’s great to see because it’s not nice to see anybody struggling. That being said, I think there’s an upgrade in there somewhere along the line in the next year or two or whenever somebody comes available. 

‘It’s great now that he can be an influence on the team and the squad and score important goals. But I’m not saying, “oh yeah, everything’s great now and he’s now going to shoot them to the league title”. 

‘He’s improved them, he’s confident again and he’s an asset to the team all of a sudden, but there’s still a long way to go.’ 

While Sesko has largely impressed since the turn of the New Year, the 22-year-old has failed to score in his last three games.

Amorim’s big-money signing will hope to return to winning ways on Monday night when Manchester United face Brentford.

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