Manchester United confirmed that forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko will skip their international fixtures during the March 2026 break. A club statement, covered by the Evening Standard and BBC Sport, detailed the decision.
Mbeumo and Sesko miss International duty
Mbeumo, 26, originally planned to represent Cameroon in friendlies against Australia and China. However, he left the pitch in the 71st minute during United’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last Friday. The club called his withdrawal a precautionary measure. This suggests the injury is not severe, but the staff believe it is worth watching.
Meanwhile, Sesko will miss Slovenia’s matches against Hungary and Montenegro. He needs time to recover fully from a fitness issue. Manchester United’s medical staff have managed his workload carefully over recent weeks.
In better news, full-back Noussair Mazraoui has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the Bournemouth game. He will join Morocco for their friendlies against Ecuador and Paraguay.
Manchester United do not play again until 13 April. They host Leeds United at Old Trafford on that date. BBC Sport expects both Mbeumo and Sesko to be fit and available for that match. Mbeumo has delivered nine goals and three assists in the Premier League this season. Sesko has scored seven goals in 2026 alone. He frequently comes off the bench to change games under interim head coach Michael Carrick.
Are United over-dependent on two injury-prone attackers?
United held third place in the Premier League heading into the break. This marks a massive turnaround after a tough first half of the season under Ruben Amorim. The 21-day gap before the Leeds game offers real breathing room. Managing Mbeumo and Sesko cautiously during this window makes perfect sense.
However, both forwards arrived together last summer. The fact that both have fitness concerns at the same time raises a serious question about how the squad is built. United must face this reality before the final stretch.
Sesko turned 22 in May 2024 and possesses incredible physical gifts. He has a commanding 6ft 4in frame and moves exceptionally well for his size. His finishing instinct has also grown sharper since January. Under Carrick, the Slovenian usually plays as an impact sub. This role suits his energy, but it stops him from controlling a match from the start. Many now debate if he deserves more minutes. His main weakness remains his consistency over 90 minutes when playing outside the box.
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Mbeumo brings hard work and directness. However, he relies heavily on physical sharpness. Any small muscle issue immediately ruins his effectiveness. Only Joao Pedro and Igor Thiago have scored more than Sesko in the league since January. This means United’s attacking output depends far too much on these two. If either misses the Leeds match or the following trip to Chelsea, Carrick’s options look thin. This feels like a squad gamble that the United hierarchy must sort out this summer.
