Manchester United need a lot in January. Truth be told, Manchester United need a lot full stop.
In what has been an abject season so far, with mounting losses and pressure building on Erik ten Hag, January arrives with United desperately needing a striker.
For all of Rasmus Hojlund’s promise he has just one league goal to his name following his £72million summer move from Atalanta.
Marcus Rashford has had moments – albeit fleeting – where he has looked at his best, while Alejandro Garnacho can be painfully inconsistent. Antony doesn’t have a goal or assist to his name this season in a staggeringly poor return.
But United also know they must sell before they move on a striker, that is the reality of the situation.
Erik ten Hag is determined to bring in a striker to help his front line during the January window
Rasmus Hojlund (middle) is popular but he only has one Premier League goal to his name so far
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There is admiration for Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart) and Timo Werner (RB Leipzig), among othersm but offers are restricted by Financial Fair Play [FFP].
The Athletic reported this week that a loan may be possible this month, instead of a permanent switch, offering a short term solution for Ten Hag.
Any move would follow on from Wout Weghorst’s temporary switch from Burnley last season, although fans would point to the very limited success Weghorst actually had at Old Trafford.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the 34-year-old Bayern Munich forward, has been named as one possibility.
His Bayern team-mate Thomas Muller, also 34, is named as another option given his limited game time this season – along with Guirassy and Werner.
With that in mind, Mail Sport takes a look at the four contenders…
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
Not the striker United fans would want out of Bayern Munich… but they can kiss any Harry Kane dreams goodbye.
Choupo-Moting, who has started just three Bundesliga matches so far this season and completed just 519 minutes as Kane’s understudy, would represent a Weghorst-esque short term fix.
He would bring with him a wealth of experience at a number of Europe’s top clubs, but he doesn’t necessarily inspire much confidence to ignite this spluttering attack out of the gate.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has played for some of the biggest clubs across Europe
Stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich – the former Stoke City striker scored 17 times for Bayern in all competitions last season – means he understands the weight of expectation at a massive club.
But United can ill afford to waste the move they make and they need a trusted goalscorer, something Choupo-Moting has had little chance to prove this campaign.
From Bayern’s perspective they may not want to gut their own depth as any departure for the 34-year-old would leave rising star Mathys Tel as the only orthodox No 9 alternative to Kane.
Serhou Guirassy
The 27-year-old is a better age profile than Choupo-Moting but still has plenty to prove in the face of widespread interest this month.
West Ham are in the running for Stuttgart striker Guirassy, who can play off the left and centrally, but United are also understood to be monitoring him.
Guirassy has a release clause of £15m so there will undoubtedly be fierce competition for his signature.
Serhou Guirassy is the most in-form striker from the Bundesliga that the club are monitoring
The Guinea forward – who counts Lille, Rennes and FC Koln among his former clubs – is enjoying a stunning season in Germany.
Unlike Choupo-Moting, United would be inheriting a player that is in red hot form – no doubt with the hope that it translates seamlessly from the Bundesliga to the Premier League.
Guirassy has scored 19 goals in 16 appearances across all competitions so far this season, which comfortably outperforms Rashford, Hojlund, Antony and Co.
Thomas Muller
United have said they want an experienced frontman to both score the goals they are missing and help the development of Rasmus Hojlund. Well, Thomas Muller could check both those boxes.
He is perhaps the most unorthodox No 9 on the list, more of a false 9 equivalent, but he is an experienced campaigner who would bring a winning mentality to a dressing room badly devoid of it.
This one still feels unlikely given Muller, who has spent his entire career at Bayern, signed a one-year contract extension until June 2025 last month.
An elder statesman, Thomas Muller would provide a great role model for young pro Hojlund
Club president Herbert Hainer said: ‘Bayern has been shaped by many people, and there will never again be a player like Thomas Muller.’
Muller has won 12 Bundesliga titles to his name, two Champions League, six German cups and eight German Super Cups.
United have had Muller wathched but he perhaps feels the most unattainable. Muller is very switched on and knows Bayern is a much quicker road to prosperity than over at Old Trafford.
Timo Werner
This really would be quite something after he flopped so spectacularly at Chelsea in his previous spell in England.
But a deal for Timo Werner should not be summarily dismissed by United.
It is claimed that the former Chelsea striker is not satisfied with his current situation with RB Leipzig and a move could suit both parties.
The German striker signed for Chelsea for £53m back in 2020, but he never managed to settle into a rhythm. Werner scored just 23 goals from 89 matches, although he did collect a Champions League winner’s medal in 2021.
Timo Werner is having a frustrating time of it and RB Leipzig and so he could return to England
Chelsea chose to cut their losses and sell Werner back to RB Leipzig in the summer of 2022 for just £23.5m, taking a significant hit on their initial outlay.
This year however, Werner has found his opportunities limited at the Red Bull Arena, with boss Marco Rose preferring Belgium international Lois Openda, and the club are believed to be willing to allow him to leave on loan in January.
Werner is capable of playing centrally and out wide and would provide that level of experience that Ten Hag is seeking.
If he is made known on the market expect some competition – Aston Villa, according to the Sun, are one team looking for attacking reinforcements amid an unlikely title tilt – but he wouldn’t lack for game time at United.
