Manchester United will prioritise the signing of a striker next after completing deals for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.Cunha and Mbeumo will improve the goal threat of Ruben Amorim’s side, though the Manchester United manager remains intent to add a number nine and complete his new-look frontline.After seeing pursuits of Liam Delap and Viktor Gyokeres blocked, the Red Devils are shortlisting new options.Three names continue to be linked with Old Trafford: Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson and Benjamin Sesko. As the speculation continues to circle, we’ve analysed key offensive metrics in their league data from 2024/25 to see how the forwards compare. Awarding points on a 3-2-1 basis, we’ll reflect which of the three tops the data-led battle. Manchester United have Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins on their striker shortlist this summer.[@David_Ornstein, @TheAthleticFC] pic.twitter.com/JMQ747vnfC— SimplyUtd (@SimplyUtd) July 21, 2025Percentiles represent how a player’s per 90 statistic ranks among their positional peers across Europe’s top leagues (80th percentile = better than 80% of players).Watkins, Jackson, Sesko: Comparing Manchester United’s striker targetsNon-penalty goalsOllie Watkins – 81.6%Benjamin Sesko – 73.3%Nicolas Jackson – 71%Watkins scored 16 goals in the Premier League last season, with just two coming from the penalty spot. It was the third consecutive campaign the England international scored 15+ goals in the Premier League.Sesko netted two of his 13 league goals last season from the spot, while none of Jackson’s 10 goals in the Premier League came via a penalty.Non-penalty xGNicolas Jackson – 93.3%Ollie Watkins – 89%Benjamin Sesko – 40.8%Jackson led from the front when it came to non-penalty xG. The Senegalese striker ranked in the top 7% of all forwards in Europe for quality of non-penalty chances received. Watkins ranked just behind Jackson (89%), though Sesko was in the bottom 41% of all forwards. The Slovenian’s RB Leipzig side struggled last season, missing out on European football. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Conversion rateBenjamin Sesko – 70.2%Ollie Watkins – 64.3%Nicolas Jackson – 44.7%While Jackson received the better quality chances, he posted the worst conversion rate of all three forwards. He underperformed his xG by -3.25 goals, while Watkins also produced an underperformance (-3xG). Sesko, in contrast, outperformed his xG, netting 13 goals from an xG of 10.22 (+2.78).Aerial duels won %Benjamin Sesko – 91%Nicolas Jackson – 55.3%Ollie Watkins – 46.7%At 6ft 5in, it may come as little surprise to see Benjamin Sesko lead this metric. The towering forward ranked in the top 9% of all forwards for percentage of aerial duels won last season.Expected Assists Ollie Watkins – 69%Nicolas Jackson – 60.8%Benjamin Sesko – 46.7%Ollie Watkins claimed the Premier League’s Playmaker of the Season award in 2023/24 and added a healthy eight assists last time around. The 29-year-old tops the battle for expected assists per 90, ahead of Jackson. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Offensive duels wonOllie Watkins – 52.9%Nicolas Jackson – 51.4%Benjamin Sesko – 37.3%Watkins narrowly edges out Jackson again when it comes to offensive duels won per 90. Despite his impressive record in the air, Sesko trails third and sits in the bottom 38% of forwards across Europe.TotalsOllie Watkins – 14Nicolas Jackson – 11Benjamin Sesko – 11Ollie Watkins comes out on top when the data is assessed with the Aston Villa forward the most well-rounded option. At five years Jackson’s senior and seven that of Sesko, it is perhaps expected that the 29-year-old would represent the most readymade target.Jackson and Sesko both represent risks but have attributes that could flourish under Ruben Amorim. The latter’s superior conversion rate arguably gives him the edge for a side that struggled for goals last season, despite Jackson’s experience of English football.Read – Fantasy Premier League: The best FPL team names for 2025/26See more – How to master FPL: Tips to help you dominate Fantasy Premier LeagueFollow The Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTokThe post Watkins, Jackson, Sesko: Comparing Manchester United’s striker targets first appeared on The Football Faithful.