4
Manager Erik ten Hag is finding it much more difficult in his second season in charge of Manchester United with the club struggling in both the Premier League and Champions League.
Nothing seems to be working at the moment as the club have now lost six times in 10 games across all competitions. Injuries and off-field controversies have not helped matters.
But the biggest problem Ten Hag is dealing with is the form of his trusted lieutenants with Marcus Rashford, who enjoyed his career’s most prolific season last term, has looked a shadow of his former self.
United’s attacking woes
He struggled when playing as the striker while he has fared little better in his preferred position out on the left. Anthony Martial has mainly been used as a substitute.
New signing Rasmus Hojlund has now scored three goals in two Champions League ties but is yet to open his Premier League account.
That was expected from a 20-year-old who is arriving in England after only one season in the Serie A. Ten Hag never wanted to put too much pressure on the Dane in his debut season and hence asked for another striker to support him.
While nobody arrived in the summer, the club are thinking ahead and there have already been links with Brentford star Ivan Toney but a lot of clubs are after him.
Journalist Sacha Tavolieri has now revealed that the Red Devils have enquired about Loïs Openda, who joined RB Leipzig in the summer from Lens.
🇧🇪 🔴 Manchester United est intéressé par Loïs Openda.
🗣️ L’équipe anglaise s’est renseignée et a demandé les détails d’un éventuel transfert.
✅ Pour le moment, le Diable Rouge veut rester à Leipzig.
💰 Pour libérer le Belge de son contrat, le club allemand demande 90M€.… pic.twitter.com/pImYlBq6ZS
— Diables Rouges Actu 🇧🇪 (@DiablesActu) October 4, 2023
There was a lot of interest from the Premier League for the 23-year-old, especially on the back of his superlative season in Ligue 1 where he scored 21 times and assisted a further four goals and emerged as the fourth top-scorer in the league.
The Belgium international has started strongly for his new club since his €38.5 million move, scoring four times and assisting twice in nine games.
He has scored against the top three teams in the league currently, including against defending champions Bayern Munich. This shows his big-game ability and mentality.
This form has prompted United to get in touch with the Bundesliga club and ask about the potential terms for a transfer.
Loïs Openda, a possible target
“Manchester United are interested in Loïs Openda. The English team inquired and requested details of a possible transfer.
“For the moment, the Red Devil wants to stay in Leipzig. To release the Belgian from his contract, the German club asks for €90M,” Tavolieri tweeted.
For now, Openda has no plans to move on but if he keeps up his form, eventually a move to a bigger club will follow. But whether United can offer such a fee if the Glazers remain remains doubtful.
After all, there are plenty of areas in need of reinforcements and it is a pattern under the American family that the club usually do not back the manager beyond a certain degree.
