When he arrived for £30 million in the summertime of 2004, no Manchester United supporter might have imagined that Wayne Rooney would have such an influence on the membership.
The Englishman spent 13 years at Previous Trafford, making 559 appearances and is at the moment on the membership’s all-time appearances listing.
After such a interval, the ahead reached an unbelievable degree with the Crimson Devils, scoring a complete of 253 objectives with a mean of two.2 strikes per recreation.
Rooney’s subsequent objectives made him their report scorer, and such a report stays to at the present time, surpassing solely the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton.
His unbelievable outcomes helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s aspect win 5 Premier League titles throughout his spell on the North West, serving to to make the membership probably the most profitable golf equipment in England’s historical past.
Quick ahead to the current day, and present supervisor Ruben Amorim has discovered his personal model of a fan-favorite participant, nevertheless it’s not the participant many anticipated.
How Benjamin Sesco began at United
For United, who scored simply 44 objectives in England’s high flight final season, it was essential that they invested in a brand new talisman – Benjamin Sesco, the person chosen by the hierarchy to be their supervisor.
The Slovenian’s switch charge is reported to be £74 million, together with an additional contract from Bundesliga aspect RB Leipzig, however it’s no exaggeration to say that he had a gradual begin in England and took a while to interrupt out.
After failing to attain in any of his first six video games for the Crimson Devils, the 22-year-old has managed to supply ends in every of his final two or three video games.
Sesco has scored in every of the final two Premier League video games for Amorim’s aspect, his newest objective serving to them safe a much-needed win towards promoted Sunderland on the Theater of Goals.
He should still be within the early days of his England profession, however he’s already exhibiting glimpses of the qualities that might make him a fan favourite for years to return, and will even catapult them to new ranges of success.
Nevertheless, he’s not a participant who can emulate Rooney at Previous Trafford and there’s one other first-team member nearer to the Englishman sooner or later.
Manchester United’s new signing Rooney
United have spent greater than £800m on new signings over the previous 4 years in an try to draw high expertise as they appear to catapult them up the Premier League desk.
A lot of that cash has sadly been wasted on gamers who will not be on the degree wanted to achieve success, as evidenced by the membership’s fifteenth place final season.
Amorim was unable to get the most effective out of the crew, which undoubtedly led to the addition of Sesco through the summer season with the intention to forestall such a situation from occurring once more sooner or later.
Nevertheless, he has already flourished alongside Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese worldwide having made a huge effect within the 2024/25 season regardless of his struggles on the pitch.
The 31-year-old has scored 19 objectives and offered 18 assists in all competitions, by far the best of any first-team participant.
Numbers like this make him much like Rooney in that he’s the Crimson Devils’ major talisman, nevertheless it’s one other side of his recreation that he emulates the Briton.
After the membership spent £200m in the summertime, three attack-minded gamers joined the membership, leading to Bruno having to alter his position.
Described as “world class” by United author Liam Canning, Fernandes has since been pressured right into a deep midfield position, with Rooney additionally taking part in an analogous position later in his profession at Previous Trafford.
Such choices led to the Englishman scoring fewer objectives in his later years, however his passing means made him an exceptional choice in that space. Bruno additionally emulated that degree, as evidenced by his profitable completion of 82% of his passes in 2025/26.
Bruno Fernandes – PL statistics (2025/26) | |
|---|---|
Statistics (each 90) | tally |
video games performed | 7 |
objectives and assists | 2 |
Go accuracy | 82% |
shot taken | 2.3 |
A possibility has arisen | 2.7 |
dribbling success | 57% |
sort out win | 2.1 |
restoration has taken place | 6.2 |
Statistics by FotMob | |
The Portuguese worldwide could battle by way of goalscoring numbers, however his means to dictate play might be an enormous asset to Amorim’s aspect within the coming years.
His passing means might be essential for Sesco if the Slovenian is to succeed at Previous Trafford, placing large strain on the teenager to make it within the Premier League.
However neither participant will attain the cult hero standing of Rooney on the Theater of Goals, and little doubt the supervisor needs he might usher in such a participant within the trendy period.
