Because the summer season of 2023, Manchester United have spent round £174.5 million on three new centre-forwards, and have strengthened their younger squad with the signings of Rasmus Højlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Benjamin Sesco in successive summers.
end result? Now, this costly trio have since scored simply 20 objectives within the Premier League over the previous two-and-a-half years, and United seem like repeating that strategy available in the market, however are nonetheless hoping for a unique end result.
A transfer in direction of youthful, comparatively unproven strikers has been a current theme at Previous Trafford, marking a transparent shift away from the extra short-term strategy that noticed the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo parachuted in to guide the road.
This pattern additionally comes as they give the impression of being to usher in extra left-field on the spot strikers equivalent to Wout Weghorst and Odion Ighalo, and it seemed as if the INEOS regime might repeat the trick with its personal wildcard signing in 2026.
Manchester United talk about new Ighalo’s private phrases
The Purple Devils have lengthy been with out a constant world-class quantity 9, with Robin van Persie remaining the final participant for the membership to attain 20 league objectives in a season.
Manchester United’s high scorers within the PL by season | |
|---|---|
season | high scorer |
24/25 | Fernandes & Amado – 8 |
23/24 | Fernandes & Hoylund – 10 |
22/23 | Marcus Rashford – 17 |
21/22 | Cristiano Ronaldo – 18 |
20/21 | Bruno Fernandes – 18 |
19/20 | Rashford & Martial – 17 |
18/19 | Paul Pogba – 13 |
17/18 | Romelu Lukaku – 16 |
16/17 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 17 |
15/16 | Anthony Martial – 11 |
14/15 | Wayne Rooney – 12 |
13/14 | Wayne Rooney – 17 |
12/13 | Robin van Persie – 26 |
Statistics by WhoScored | |
Issues may need been completely different had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s suggestions from Erling Haaland not been ignored. The treble winner was additionally chasing his compatriot in his first full season on the membership in 2019-20.
Because it proved, the Norwegian joined Borussia Dortmund forward of the January 2020 deadline, with United scrambling on deadline day to signal boyhood fan Odion Ighalo from China’s Shanghai Shenhua on an preliminary mortgage deal.
This was actually not a deal that had been anticipated upfront, and the identical might most likely be mentioned for Auxerre marksman Racine Shinayoko, amid experiences that INEOS are shifting forward with a transfer for the Ligue 1 star.
In actual fact, in line with Africa Foot, United have been discussing private phrases with the 26-year-old, with the 2 sides believed to be near agreeing a €3 million ($2 million) annual wage.
The suggestion is that Ruben Amorim’s facet hope to safe a deal for Shinayoko subsequent month earlier than he joins on a free switch subsequent summer season.
Why United are focusing on the brand new Ighalo
Whether or not Shinayoko arrives in January or on the finish of the season, he might be the wildcard addition that Amorim wants, particularly for the reason that aforementioned Sesco has scored simply two objectives since his summer season transfer from RB Leipzig.
The Auxerre hitman might not be an interesting or family title, however Ighalo’s instance reveals the skilled Nigerian could make a stable affect in Manchester’s new environment and a left-wing swoop might come to fruition.
In actual fact, the previous Watford star ended up scoring 5 objectives in his first six months at Previous Trafford, together with a superb juggling purpose towards LASK Linz within the Europa League.
Whereas his keep was actually quick and he achieved little, Ighalo proved to be a great tool below Solskjær, notably as United progressed to the highest of each the FA Cup and Europa League.
As with the 2020 arrivals, it is nice to see some hidden expertise begin to blossom at United, a membership that has usually been affected by the pursuit of too many high-profile and big-money contracts.
If Shinayoko had been to affix on a free switch, he may match neatly into Ighalo’s class, given his modest however constant performances throughout his keep in France.
The 6-foot-1 ahead, who’s at present on AFCON obligation with Mali, has six objectives in Ligue 1 this season after scoring 14 objectives and helping in France’s high flight final season.
Though not prolific himself, he, like Ighalo, would supply United with an actual point of interest in assault. His excessive bodily skill is evidenced by the truth that, in line with FBref, he ranks within the high 2% of strikers in Europe’s 5 main leagues in interceptions per 90 makes an attempt, and within the high 8% in tackles.
Equally, like Ighalo, who scored 16 objectives in 37 video games for Nigeria, Sinayoko has additionally confirmed his high quality on the worldwide stage, together with his current two objectives at this yr’s AFCON taking him to 9 objectives in 27 video games for Nigeria.
With Sesco struggling and Zirkzee wanting near leaving for Roma, United undoubtedly want at the least one striker for 2026, and a discount swoop for a participant like Shinayoko might be simply what they want.
He may simply shock a number of folks, as Ighalo did earlier than.
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