Manchester United could do without Zirkzee for the next Ibrahimovic

With the new year on the horizon, A.J Manchester United The Persuasion will no doubt look to quickly forget 2024, as it has been a miserable 12 months at Old Trafford overall.

The highest point of note came at Wembley in May, but that surprise victory in the FA Cup final was quickly forgotten amid the club's previous woes and since, with manager Erik ten Hag walking out the door just months after lifting the trophy.

New boss Reuben Amorim He arrived with bold new ideas and a charismatic personality, although recent results have shown that has largely been the case for a side that remains weak. 13th place in the Premier League table.

Just a month or so into the Portuguese manager's tenure, the Red Devils have hit rock bottom with Sunday's horrific 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, a result that laid bare the status of the three-time European champions at present.

The seven goals conceded in the team's last two matches in all competitions may indicate worrying defensive problems, although it is the attacking unit that remains the same.Big problem” – as noted by journalist Liam Canning.

Man United's attacking problems

It is often said that an Old Trafford home capitulation no longer sends shockwaves through the game. In fact, defeats like the one suffered by the Cherry team have become the norm over the past eighteen months or so.

This season alone, the Red Devils have lost 3-0 on three occasions at the Stadium of Dreams, having also faced Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to spell the beginning of the end for Ten Hag.

Once again, the defense will shoulder much of the blame for these dismal results, but the lack of goals has become a real concern as of late. In fact, United only scored a goal 21 goals in the league So far, it has left them on par with the likes of Leicester City, while trailing even relegation strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers (27).

These problems were evident even at the weekend, with the home side scoring Total 23 shots Finishing with xG 2.28. Meanwhile, Bournemouth had just ten shots and finished with an xG of just 1.63, according to Sofascore.

Amorim also lamented After the defeat against Tottenham In the Carabao Cup, his team is simply not 'clinical' enough, with the lack of a reliable number nine still a major problem.

In fact, while young Rasmus Hoglund scored Seven goals in 20 matches In the 2024/24 season so far, only two of those have come in 12 league games.

As for summer signing Joshua Zirkzee, the Dutchman has had an even worse time, only scoring Four times in 25 matches Since his arrival from Bologna.

The return of the last man, in particular, is not good enough, with the need to find a quick promotion to solve what has long been a problem at Old Trafford.

Manchester United is looking for a striker

Back at Sporting Lisbon, Amorim's success was built on the strength of their leading goalscorer, with Victor Guerques. He scored 66 goals in only 68 matches During their time together in Lisbon.

As a result of this fruitful partnership, there will be a huge buzz for a reunion between the duo in Manchester, although according to recent reports, United could look elsewhere to fulfill the dream of a first signing of the Amorim era.

actually, There were claims The Red Devils are among the clubs interested in signing the Nigerian star. Victor Osimhenwith the 26-year-old currently on loan at Galatasaray from parent club Napoli.

The former Chelsea target is said to be worth around £62m and could make a late move to the Premier League following his move to Stamford Bridge. It collapsed over the summerThe striker's arrest is likely to be what United are desperate for to end their goal scoring woes.

Why signing Osimhen would be a dream for Manchester United?

The former Lille player may now be operating outside Europe's top five leagues in Türkiye, but it's hard to overlook his goalscoring prowess, having already earned a trophy. 12 goals in only 15 matches While in Istanbul.

That figure ensures he has scored more times than Zirkzee and Hoglund combined in 2024/25 so far, with the young duo scoring just 11 goals between them in all competitions.

This exciting performance comes after a prolific spell in Napoli for Osimhen, with the hot shot in sight He scored 76 goals in only 133 matches For the Italian League side. In total throughout his career, the £62million man has scored 126 goals from 238 first-team appearances.

To put that in context, Hoglund scored a fair goal 50 big goals In his career so far, while Zirkzee's record is even worse, he earned… He only scored 40 times (Not including his time with Bayern Munich's second team).

The difference in quality between Zirkzee and Osimhen is already stark, as evidenced by their respective stats in Serie A last season, with Osimhen simply being far more effective, even if Zirkzee offers greater creative influence. Amorim needs to make sure this deal gets done as a matter of urgency.

There will be no doubt about concerns over whether the Napoli man is able to transition to life in the Premier League, although any fears should be tempered by his resemblance to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with that comparison having been made before. His former manager at Charleroi Phyllis Mazo:

“He is similar to Ibrahimovic because he can do everything with his feet and his head. There is a big difference between the two – Victor is a simple person – but he will become a great striker.

“His great talent is his explosiveness, he has incredible physical strength. He knows how to play with his head, he always makes the right choice in front of goal, he can walk all over the pitch and score. Then he has another great quality: security. He is not afraid of anything. “

While Ibrahimovic's time at Old Trafford was fleeting, the veteran has certainly made his mark under Jose Mourinho, having finished the 2016/17 season with… 28 goals to his name In 46 matches.

As that short but remarkable spell proved, players of this caliber can score goals anywhere without needing a period of adjustment, with United – and Amorim – needing to repeat the scenario with the takeover of Osimhen.

For a very long time, since the days of Ibrahim and Robin van Persie before him, the Red Devils have been searching for a truly world-class player to lead the line. Now is a good time to go out and get one.