Manchester United expect Benjamin Sesko to remain sidelined until at least January as the striker continues his recovery from a recurring shin injury, according to The Athletic. The club have not announced a return date, and the January timeline is reported rather than officially confirmed.

According to The Athletic, the Slovenia international is making progress through rest, but United’s medical staff believe he needs more time before returning to action. United have consulted specialists to determine the most appropriate treatment, with the priority being to ensure the 23-year-old makes a complete recovery. At this stage, no decision has been made over surgical intervention, with the club confident the issue will resolve itself in time.

Sesko has not played since starting the Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on September 16, and he has missed United’s last six matches. The problem dates back to last season, when he sustained a blow to his shin but continued playing, before his condition worsened during a match against Liverpool and he was eventually forced off, missing the final three matches of the campaign. The club initially opted for rest rather than surgery, a decision that also kept him out of pre-season preparations, and he returned as a substitute against Hull City in August before suffering another setback in September.

It is a significant blow for head coach Michael Carrick, who is left without his only recognised orthodox centre-forward. Sesko scored 12 goals during his debut campaign at Old Trafford, and he had registered two goals in six appearances this season before his latest spell on the sidelines. Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo are United’s joint-leading scorers in all competitions this season with four goals each, and Mbeumo is likely to continue through the middle when United travel to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Sesko’s physical presence and movement inside the penalty area have been important features of his contribution, and his absence leaves United without a recognised centre-forward capable of consistently stretching defences and attacking crosses — a gap Carrick must fill from within his squad while the striker rehabilitates.

United will therefore have to continue adjusting their attacking approach while awaiting Sesko’s return, with January now the earliest realistic target and time still needed after that to regain match fitness. How Carrick reshapes his forward line in the meantime, and whether the club look for attacking reinforcements in the winter window, will shape the months ahead.