PRAISE: For hard-working Leeds United attacker Brenden Aaronson, left.placeholder image
PRAISE: For hard-working Leeds United attacker Brenden Aaronson, left. | Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Manchester United are looking for attacking reinforcements in January, but are they targeting the right players?
Manchester United spent most of the summer trying to complete a deal that looked to have been agreed before the transfer window was open.
Bryan Mbeumo has proven to be worth the wait, even if United overpaid compared to what they originally thought Brentford would be willing to sell the 26-year old forward for.
With five goals and one assist in 11 games so far, including three goals and an assist in his last four games, the Cameroon international has settled into life at Old Trafford and is relishing being the main man for a big team. Matheus Cuhna has been a welcome addition to the forward line, but there are reports that more reinforcements are being looked at for January.
What forwards are Manchester United linked with?
Ruben Amorim’s well-known 3-4-3 system requires versatility behind a central striker and also for more attack-minded players to perform defensive duties, especially those tasked with being wing-backs. Cuhna is a natural no.10 whilst Mbeumo does his best work on the right-hand side of the attack. To an extent, Rogers is similar to Cuhna whilst Semenyo is more like Mbeumo, even if the United no.19 is more flexible in how he plays and the positions that the manager could select him in.
Radar comparison of Antoine Semenyo (blue) and Morgan Rogers (pink) using data from 2025/26.placeholder image
Radar comparison of Antoine Semenyo (blue) and Morgan Rogers (pink) using data from 2025/26. | Data MB
In terms of one or the other, it is no contest. Semenyo is the better player both in terms of the eye test but also statistically using Data MB’s comparison tool. Only in key passes does the Villa playmaker outperform the Ghana international. The question is – what is the point of signing a player to be a backup to Mbeumo who could cost over £70m? The same goes for Rogers, but he would know that Cuhna and Bruno Fernandes are ahead of him in the pecking order.
Who should United target?
The reality is, United simply don’t need a player with the profile of either Semenyo or Rogers. Aside from the two summer signings named and Fernandes, Amorim also has Amad Diallo who can play in a more advanced position with Joshua Zirkzee another who has been deployed in an attacking midfield role behind a striker, he might be a player who makes way to free up room in the squad and the wage bill.
What they need, is a goalscoring no.9 and in January they have the ability to either sign one for next season on a pre-contract agreement or make a cut-price offer for a 40-cap international who has consistently scored goals throughout his career. At 25-years old, Dusan Vlahovic is approaching his peak and despite Juventus trying to off-load the 6ft 4inch tall powerhouse Serbian, he has still managed seven goals and one assist in 16 appearances, but only 735 minutes. The sort of return from a striker that United haven’t had for some time.
The other attraction and a reason why Vlahovic has been linked is that he isn’t short of confidence. Juventus isn’t exactly the sort of club for shrinking violets and he would thrive in the cauldron of Old Trafford and the pressure that comes with 80,000 expectant fans demanding that their striker scores goals and wins them games.
Eric Cantona was arrogant and demanding, as was Cristiano Ronaldo, United is the perfect club for big egos and big characters and Vlahovic could be the perfect January signing for a club that needs a sprinkle of star dust.
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