Man Utd can axe Zirkzee for the next Ibrahimovic

With the New 12 months on the horizon, these of a Manchester United persuasion will little doubt be trying to neglect 2024 in a rush, with it having been a merely depressing 12 months at Outdated Trafford on the entire.

The notable excessive level got here at Wembley again in Could, but that shock FA Cup remaining triumph has been rapidly forgotten amid the membership’s woes each prior and since, with supervisor Erik ten Hag proven the door only a matter of months after lifting the trophy.

New boss Ruben Amorim has arrived with daring new concepts and an enticing persona, though as current outcomes have proven, it has largely been extra of the identical for a aspect that also languishes in 13th in the Premier League table.

Only a month or so into the Portuguese’s tenure, the Purple Devils reached their newest nadir following Sunday’s grim 3-0 defeat at dwelling to Bournemouth, with that outcome laying naked simply the place the three-time European champions are at current.

Seven objectives conceded throughout their final two video games in all competitions might level to worrying points defensively, though it’s the attacking unit which stays a “major problem” – as famous by journalist Liam Canning.

Man Utd’s attacking woes

It says lots that the Outdated Trafford aspect meekly capitulating on dwelling soil not sends shockwaves throughout the sport. In fact, defeats just like the one to the Cherries have merely turn into the norm over the past 18 months or so.

This season alone, the Purple Devils have now misplaced 3-0 on three events on the Theatre of Goals, having additionally wilted up in opposition to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to mark the start of the top for Ten Hag.

Once more, the defence will cop a lot of the blame for these dismal outcomes, however the lack of objectives has turn into an actual concern of late. Certainly, United have scored simply 21 league goals up to now, leaving them stage with the likes of Leicester Metropolis, whereas even behind relegation strugglers, Wolverhampton Wanderers (27).

These woes had been even evident on the weekend, with the hosts registering 23 shots in total and ending with an xG of two.28. Bournemouth, in the meantime, had simply ten pictures and completed with an xG of just one.63, as per Sofascore.

As Amorim lamented after the defeat to Spurs within the Carabao Cup, his aspect merely simply aren’t “medical” sufficient, with the dearth of a dependable quantity 9 nonetheless a major situation.

Certainly, whereas younger Rasmus Hojlund has scored seven goals in 20 appearances in 2024/24 up to now, solely two of these have are available his 12 league outings.

As for summer season signing Joshua Zirkzee, the Dutchman has had a good worse time of it, netting solely four times in 25 appearances since his arrival from Bologna.

The return of the latter man, particularly, merely is not adequate, with a swift improve needing to be discovered to resolve what has lengthy been an issue place at Outdated Trafford.

Man Utd’s seek for a striker

Again at Sporting CP, Amorim’s success was constructed on the energy of his main goalscorer, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring 66 goals in just 68 games throughout their time collectively in Lisbon.

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Because of that fruitful partnership, there can be clamour for a reunion to happen between the pair in Manchester, though based on current stories, United might nicely look elsewhere to make a dream first signing of the Amorim period.

Certainly, there have been claims that the Purple Devils are among the many golf equipment eager to signal Nigerian sensation, Victor Osimhen, with the 26-year-old presently on mortgage at Galatasaray from dad or mum membership, Napoli.

Reportedly valued at round £62m, the previous Chelsea goal might make a belated transfer to the Premier League after a Stamford Bridge swap broke down over the summer, with the striker’s seize more likely to be simply what United are craving to finish their goalscoring woes.

Why Osimhen could be a dream signing for Man Utd

The previous Lille man might now be working exterior of Europe’s prime 5 leagues in Turkey, but it’s exhausting to miss his goalscoring prowess, having already bagged 12 goals in just 15 games throughout his time in Istanbul.

That haul ensures he has scored extra occasions than Zirkzee and Hojlund mixed in 2024/25 up to now, with the younger pair netting simply 11 objectives between them throughout all competitions.

This red-hot kind follows a prolific spell again in Naples for Osimhen, with the in-demand hotshot having netted 76 times in just 133 games for the Serie A aspect. In complete throughout his profession, the £62m man has scored 126 objectives from 238 senior appearances.

To place that into context, Hojlund has scored simply 50 senior goals in his profession up to now, whereas Zirkzee’s document is even worse, having scored just 40 times (not together with his stint with Bayern Munich’s second group).

The distinction in high quality between Zirkzee and Osimhen is stark certainly, as evidenced by their respective statistics in Italy’s top-flight final time period, with Osimhen merely much more medical, even when Zirkzee affords a larger inventive affect. Amorim wants to make sure this deal will get performed as a matter of urgency.

There’ll little doubt be fears over whether or not the Napoli man could make the transition to life within the Premier League, though any issues ought to be eased by his likeness to a sure Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with that comparability having been made by his former Charleroi manager Felice Mazzu:

Whereas Ibrahimovic’s time at Outdated Trafford was fleeting, the veteran actually made his mark underneath Jose Mourinho, having ended the 2016/17 marketing campaign with 28 goals to his name in 46 appearances.

As that quick however candy stint proved, gamers of that ilk can rating objectives anyplace with out the necessity for a interval of adjustment, with United – and Amorim – in want of a repeat state of affairs with the seize of Osimhen.

For too lengthy, for the reason that days of ‘Ibra’ and Robin van Persie earlier than him, have the Purple Devils been looking for a real world-beater to guide the road. Now could be the time to exit and get one.

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