Manchester United‘s version of the January blues usually involves discovering they need a striker.
In 2019-20, they plucked ex-Watford striker Odion Ighalo from Covid-ravaged China and made the 30-year-old United fan’s dreams come true.
Last season, they struck a deal with both Burnley and Besiktas to get Wout Weghorst on loan and the giant Dutchman ended up playing in 31 games, way more than he anticipated.
A year on and history has repeated itself after Anthony Martial was ruled out for 10 weeks following groin surgery, raising doubts over whether the Frenchman will ever play for United again.
That leaves Erik ten Hag with just one recognised striker – their £73m summer arrival Rasmus Hojlund, whose efforts have only been rewarded with seven goals in 25 outings so far.
Rasmus Hojlund is Manchester United’s only striker option after Anthony Martial’s injury
Martial will miss ten weeks of action after undergoing surgery to resolve a groin issue
United have not ruled out a late January move for another forward to bolster Erik ten Hag’s side
United, like all Premier league clubs in a ghostly January window, are backed into a corner by Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and so cannot simply go out and splash the cash before next week’s deadline.
A new striker signing hasn’t been entirely ruled out, as Mail Sport reported, but who are United’s options for a quick deal?
KARIM BENZEMA
Certainly the biggest name being linked to United although that speculation appears to have been shut down because of the Frenchman’s ‘exorbitant’ wage demands.
Benzema, 36, is reportedly unsettled at his Saudi club Al-Ittihad and didn’t report back for a mid-season training camp earlier this month ahead of the Pro League’s resumption.
The player’s camp shut down the speculation and in any case Benzema’s salary – believed to be £86m-a-year in Saudi – would be prohibitive for United conscious of Financial Fair Play.
So Benzema would have to take a significant wage cut but he is a proven goalscorer – he netted 354 times in 14 years with Real Madrid, helping them to five Champions League successes.
Karim Benzema is reportedly unsettled at Al-Ittihad but his huge wages are a stumbling block
ERIC MAXIM CHOUPO-MOTING
The 34-year-old Bayern Munich forward has been linked with United for most of this month.
The arrival of £100m Harry Kane at the Allianz Arena has restricted Choupo-Moting’s game…