“I think that’s a lot”: Owen Hargreaves slams United for repeating costly transfer mistake

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has aimed a dig at the club for repeating a costly transfer mistake with Benjamin Sesko. Hargreaves blasted United following the FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday. United dumped out of the FA Cup United are all but guaranteed to go trophyless this season following their humiliating FA Cup elimination at Old Trafford, having suffered a 2-1 loss to Brighton. The Red Devils fashioned multiple chances to score early on but their failure to convert was punished when Brajan Gruda gave Brighton the lead. Former United man Danny Welbeck made it 2-0 in the 64th minute of proceedings to deepen the hosts’ woes. Sesko pulled one back for his side with five minutes of regular time left on the clock, but it was too little too late. Darren Fletcher’s men finished the game with 10 men after Shea Lacey was sent off for a second bookable offence. After the final whistle, Fletcher branded his players “fragile”, seemingly questioning their mental ability to deal with adversity on the pitch. The interim United boss also challenged the squad to rise up to the occasion and secure a Champions League finish. Hargreaves spoke on TNT Sports and criticised United for bringing in Sesko without ensuring he has sufficient support around him. The 2008 Champions League winner likened Sesko’s situation to what happened with Rasmus Hojlund a few years ago. Hargreaves fires Sesko accusation Hargreaves said [as quoted by the Metro], “It was a good header from him.” “He’s a threat, he’s shown that and I think there’s so much room to improve. Physically, he’s got some amazing traits. I think he’ll get better and better.” “Back in the day, United had four or five strikers. You think about Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Then they had young lads coming through: Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, [Carlos] Tevez.” “It shouldn’t just be Benjamin Sesko, a young man still learning his trade. We saw that with Rasmus Hojlund and how that ended, he’s on loan.” “So you’ve got another young lad that’s trying to bear the burden of scoring all the goals and I think that’s a lot for one, young player.” United are next in action on Saturday when they face Manchester City in the derby. Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!