Ruben Amorim wanted Man Utd to sign Premier League striker instead of Benjamin Sesko | Football

Manchester United left Ruben Amorim frustrated several months before his sacking with their pursuit of striker Benjamin Sesko, according to reports.

Amorim was axed as United manager on Monday morning after the Portuguese boss fell out with those above him at Old Trafford.

The ex-Sporting manager suggested he was growing frustrated in the job on Friday when he appeared to criticise the club for not backing him during the January transfer window.

Amorim made more eyebrow-raising comments after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United amid speculation members of the club’s hierarchy were unhappy with the team’s lack of progress.

Manchester United’s inconsistent form and the off-pitch issues ended up costing Amorim his job, with the 40-year-old dismissed after a 14-month reign.

While the unrest between Amorim and the board came to a head this week, United frustrated their manager last summer when they signed Sesko.

Amorim was keen to sign a new striker to replace Rasmus Hojlund and Manchester United brought Sesko to Old Trafford in a deal worth £74m.

But talkSPORT say Amorim wanted a proven striker to bolster his squad instead and would have ‘preferred’ to sign Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Watkins, who is closing in on 100 Premier League goals, was the subject of a transfer bid from Arsenal this time last year and was also tentatively linked with Manchester United.

United supporters were encouraged when Sesko scored in back-to-back games at the end of September and start of October but the 22-year-old has not found the back of the net since then, going 11 games without a goal in all competitons.

Amorim was asked about Sesko’s poor form in his final press conference as Red Devils boss, saying: ‘Ben has completely different characteristics to Rasmus and he is doing the right things.

‘I know as a striker, if you miss chances they [outside critics] will say the player did everything wrong, but to miss the chances he’s missing, he has to be there. That’s the first step.

‘He just needs to score one, then all the weight will disappear and he will be better.’

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand defended Sesko after his latest blank but said he believes his former club should have signed Victor Osimhen.

‘I still say we should have signed Victor Osimhen,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.

‘I don’t want to keep going there but we should have signed him because there’s no questions asked there. It’s just pure experience with him.

‘We don’t play the ball into Sesko enough, that’s a big thing. He’s a work in progress and I think he needs to get the ball more.

‘He was a bit loose with it today but I still think we’re not crossing the ball enough. He should be asking for the ball more and demanding it.

‘There’s something there with Sesko but he needs more time because he’s young and it’s not easy being a number nine for Man United.’

Manchester United face Burnley on Wednesday night in their first game since Amorim’s sacking. Darren Fletcher will take charge of the side as interim manager.

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