- Manchester United has had a lackluster start to the current campaign now seventh in the standings and six points off of the Champions League spots.
- In order to give Hojlund a little more help, Ten Hag may try to bolster his team in January by bringing in a center-forward who has experience.
- We look at strikers who would solve the striking issue at United.
With Erik ten Hag’s job under distress, Manchester United has had a lackluster start to the current campaign.
The Red Devils, who are now seventh in the standings and six points off of the Champions League spots, have lost five of their first 11 Premier League games. Ten Hag’s club has struggled mightily to score goals.
Rasmus Hojlund, 21, who cost United £72 million to acquire from Atalanta in the summer, has not scored in the Premier League this year despite displaying glimpses of promise.
In order to give Hojlund a little more help, Ten Hag may try to bolster his team in January by bringing in a center-forward who has experience.
We look at strikers who would solve the striking issue at United.
Gabriel Barbosa – Flamengo
Gabriel Barbosa, who restored his name at Flamengo, has been linked to a move back to Europe in football. Barbosa, who was regarded as one of Brazil’s greatest players, signed for Inter Milan but didn’t have much of an impact—he scored only once in ten games.
The forward’s career was rekindled upon returning to his native country; he initially played on loan at Santos before joining Flamengo. Barbosa has scored 180 goals in 318 games after moving back to Brazil in 2018. He has also netted five goals in 18 outings for his country.
Barbosa’s contract expires at the end of 2024, and according to recent sources, Flamengo would be willing to let their top scorer go for a £20 million transfer. At just 27 years old, he has the potential to be a wise acquisition after developing in the Brasileirão.
Serhou Guirassy – Stuttgart
Guirassy leads the Bundesliga Golden Boot. Photo/AfroSport
One of the biggest stories of the season thus far has been Serhou Guirassy’s goal-scoring, as the Stuttgart striker has had an incredible start to the season.
Guirassy started his second season at The MHPArena with a bang after having a respectable, if unspectacular, first season on loan at Stuttgart the previous season with 11 goals. In his first seven Bundesliga games, the 27-year-old scored 13 goals, shattering Robert Lewandowski’s previous record of 11 goals after seven games.
In just eight games this season, the Guinean international has scored 14 goals; in the top five divisions in Europe, only Harry Kane (15) has scored more goals than Guirassy.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the striker’s contract at the German team has a release clause of merely €17.5 million (£15.1 million). Manchester United seems to be able to afford this amount, and it is certain to generate a lot of attention in the January transfer window.
Mehdi Taremi – Porto
Mehdi Taremi. Photo/Rossoneriblog
As Mehdi Taremi nears the conclusion of his contract at Porto, he is being linked to some of Europe’s top teams. As Porto looks to prevent losing its talisman as a free agency, Taremi will be a free agent in the summer and may be available for a steep discount during the January transfer window.
After moving from Al-Gharafa to Rio Ave in Portugal in 2019 and then to Porto the following season, the 31-year-old was a latecomer to European football. In his four seasons in the Primeira Liga, Taremi has scored 101 goals in all competitions, and as Portugal’s best scorer, he has won the Bola de Prata twice.
While Taremi would just be a temporary fix, a long-term investment in Hojlund may make him a more seasoned Dane substitute. Rumor has it that Real Madrid and Inter Milan are also interested.
Ivan Toney – Brentford
Ivan Toney. |PHOTO: Nottingham Post|
Toney is reportedly a target for a transfer to many Premier League teams; the Brentford attacker is reportedly being connected to Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal.
With 32 goals in 66 games since the Bees’ promotion to the Premier League, Toney has excelled and was awarded his first England cap in March. He is 27 years old. Toney’s contract is set to expire in January, but Brentford is hesitant to let him go. It is estimated that the forward is worth over £80 million.
One of the best-run Premier League teams, Brentford may accept a large winter deal as Toney’s worth is expected to drop in the coming months. Toney will be allowed to play football again in January after serving an eight-month ban for breaking the FA’s gambling regulations. He hasn’t played this season. But if a bidding war breaks out between the best teams in the Premier League, he may be beyond Manchester United’s budget.
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