RESULTS have been mixed so far for Manchester United under new manager Erik ten Hag. A disastrous start to the campaign was followed by a short but impressive winning streak that included victories over Liverpool and Arsenal, and then a 6-3 derby demolition at hands of Manchester City brought a reality check and underlined how much work still lies ahead for the Dutch coach.
United spent big last summer, forking out over £200m on new arrivals to strengthen at centre-back, full-back, central midfield and on the wing. The centre-forward spot, however, remains a problem area.
Anthony Martial has impressed at the point of attack in limited minutes this term, with three goals and two assists. But the Frenchmen’s constant minor injuries make him an unsuitable figurehead for the forward line. And Cristiano Ronaldo, at 37 and with just one open-play goal from 12 appearances, no longer looks like the solution.
A-list signings are rare in the mid-season transfer window, so reported recent targets such as Joao Felix and Victor Osimhen are likely unobtainable in January. But United’s tenuous grasp on a top-four challenge means finding a new striker is an urgent issue that can’t be delayed. Here are five realistic January targets they should consider.
Ivan Toney
He wouldn’t come cheap, and his potential inclusion in England’s World Cup squad could see his value heighten even further before the transfer market re-opens, but recent reports suggest United are considering a January move for Ivan Toney, and the Brentford striker has all the tools to make an instant and significant impact at Old Trafford.
Ivan Toney, STOP THAT! 🤤
What a finish to mark your 100th game for Brentford! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FrPk6li7x1
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 14, 2022
Toney is the Premier League’s third-highest scorer so far this season, with his eight goals from 10 games ranking behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. The former Newcastle man, now in his second top-flight season, continues to show growth in his game, displaying strength combined with a deft touch and vision when holding up the ball, a lethal strike from range and an increasingly deadly dead-ball threat.
At 26 and having worked his way up from the fourth tier in an itinerate career to date, Toney is ready to test himself at the highest levels.
Brian Brobbey
United reportedly considered a move for 20-year-old Dutch striker Brian Brobbey over the summer, but instead the striker re-signed for Ajax from RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Brobbey began his career with the Amsterdam club before making the switch to Germany in 2021. He failed to score in just nine league appearances for RBL, though, and went back to Ajax on loan halfway through last season.
Back at the Johan Cruyff Arena, he shone under Ten Hag’s tutelage, scoring seven goals in 10 Eredivisie games, and he has carried that fine form into the new season, with six strikes already to his name.
Brobbey, being so young, remains a raw talent, but he has electric pace and is rapidly progressing as a finisher. It might be difficult to convince Ajax to sell a player they only re-signed in July, but Brobbey is someone Ten Hag knows he can utilise effectively.
Moussa Dembele
Former Celtic and Fulham striker Moussa Dembele is set to be a free agent next summer, so there is incentive for his current club, Lyon, to cash in on him in January.
A previous reported target for United, the French striker scored 21 Ligue 1 goals in 30 games last season. He has the speed, finishing finesse and, at 26 and with well over 100 career goals to his name, the experience to fit into Ten Hag’s United attack.
MOUSSA DEMBELE 👑❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/QDpg1RuUll
— Media Gones™ (@Media_Gones) September 3, 2022
With his fluid movement, it is easy to envisage Dembele forming a productive front three with any two of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and £84m signing Antony.
And if their summer spend means there’s not much left in the coffers for Ten Hag mid-season, Dembele’s contract situation should make him the affordable choice.
Goncalo Ramos
It seems every year the Portuguese Primeira Liga produces a gifted young star primed for a big-money move to one of Europe’s elite. Liverpool have snapped up two such talents over the past 12 months, signing Luis Diaz from Porto last January and Darwin Nunez from Benfica in the summer.
The next youngster primed for stardom to emerge from the Portuguese conveyor belt looks like being the man who has stepped into Nunez’s shoes at the Estadio da Luz, 21-year-old striker Goncalo Ramos.
Building on a breakthrough campaign that saw him net seven times last term, Ramos is shining in 2022-23 as the focal point of Benfica’s attack, and he currently sits atop the scoring chart in Portugal, with six league goals from eight appearances.
Stylistically, Ramos possesses savvy movement across the front line and in behind opposition defences for a player so young, while also being effective dropping deep to link play.
Ramos is thought to be on United’s radar ahead of the January window, but they reportedly face competition for his signature from Newcastle.
Marcus Thuram
Marcus Thuram would likely be an Inter Milan player by now if not for a knee injury scuppering his move to the San Siro last year. But the Frenchman – son of legendary World Cup-winning defender Lilian Thuram – has bounced back from that disappointment to produce his best form for Borussia Monchengladbach.
Sometimes, a player’s versatility can be to the detriment of their development. It could be argued that this is the case with Rashford, whose fliting between either wing and a central role has seen him struggle to make a home of any position.
It has been a similar story with Thuram for much of his career, too. Last season, after recovering from injury, he split his time between the left wing and centre-forward, and returned just three goals from 21 Bundesliga appearances.
Mr. Brace, @MarcusThuram 😎 pic.twitter.com/XgfsS5IXZu
— Gladbach (@borussia_en) October 18, 2022
This season, however, he has been deployed exclusively as a striker, and it has allowed the 25-year-old to utilise his pace and skill while also refining his composure in front of goal, resulting in a haul of seven goals from just 10 games.
Inter and Juventus are said to be weighing up mid-season moves for Thuram, who, like Dembele, is on course to be a free agent when his current contract expires next summer. United would be wise to add their name to his growing list of suitors.
