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Injuries and off-field controversies aside, Manchester United have struggled to score goals, just like in Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge of the club.
Last term, United scored the least number of goals among the top-six sides while this season, the Red Devils have only scored nine times, the second-lowest among the top 11 sides in the Premier League.
The club brought in Rasmus Hojlund in the summer and the Dane has been on fire in the Champions League, with three goals in two games but is yet to open his account in the league.
United continue to struggle in front of goal
Ten Hag knew it would be unwise to put too much pressure on the 20-year-old considering his relative inexperience in Europe but the club failed to back the manager yet again.
Last season’s top scorer Marcus Rashford has struggled in front of goal so far while Anthony Martial remains on the periphery and could be sold if a presentable offer were to arrive.
In the previous campaign, following Ten Hag’s demands, the club dipped into the loan market and brought in Wout Weghorst in January.
The Dutch striker tried his best but was far from prolific and thus a permanent move never materialised. The United boss would prefer a higher calibre of player this winter but the Glazers are unlikely to spend big.
But as per Estadio Deportivo, United are targeting a surprise striker in Umar Sadiq of Real Sociedad. His former club Almería are also in the race.
The 26-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last season, which saw him play only three games for Sociedad. He has since made a comeback this season but is struggling for minutes and form.
Sadiq will be yet another poor January signing
He has made nine appearances in all competitions but is yet to find the back of the net, registering a solitary assist so far. His form suggests it will be yet another Glazer discount signing.
“From England, without going any further, they point out Manchester United’s interest in Sadiq for the next January market. Things are not going well at Old Trafford, and they are already thinking about strengthening their squad for January.
“It is not the only team that is waiting to see what happens with Sadiq. In Spain, without going any further, he has also been linked to Almería with a view to a hypothetical return in the form of a loan.”
Ten Hag certainly needs a physical presence up front but they should have learnt from their Weghorst experiment and tried for a more prolific striker in January. Sadiq’s signing seems underwhelming at best.
