Handsomer and decisive! The backstory of 'Cesko' declining Manchester United's No. 9 shirt, even though the club used it as a key move to finalize the deal, out of respect for 'Hojlund', showing more interest in respect than the shirt number.
4 March 2026 – "Benjamin Sesko," the new striker for Manchester United, impressed the "Red Devils" fans even before stepping onto the field. The Athletic revealed the behind-the-scenes of the masculine negotiation, stating that during the recruitment process, United's management team created a special video simulating Cesko wearing the "number 9" shirt, scoring goals at Old Trafford. The club used this as a key tactic to close the deal and win over the Slovenian striker to agree.
However, "Cesko" chose to immediately decline the No. 9 shirt. Although it is a dream number many want to claim, he explained that he wanted to "respect Rasmus Hojlund," who was still a player on the team at that time, and he considered respecting a fellow professional more important than the number on the back.
Currently, Cesko is in a "golden form" under the management of Michael Carrick. He has become a symbol of the team's revival, scoring 9 goals in 25 appearances this season. Remarkably, 7 of those goals in the last 8 matches came after Carrick took over, especially a decisive header that secured a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, making him one of the Premier League’s most dangerous strikers at the moment.
The next fixtures for the "Red Devils"
Manchester United, now sitting 3rd in the table, have important upcoming matches in March.
Thursday, 5 March: vs Newcastle United (away) at 03:15 GMT+7.
Sunday, 15 March: vs Aston Villa (home) at 21:00 GMT+7.
Saturday, 21 March: vs Bournemouth (away) at 03:00 GMT+7.
Red Devils fans will be eager to see if "Cesko" can continue scoring to help the team secure a Champions League spot!