Hoping to finally solve their goalscoring problems, Manchester United have now reportedly opened talks to sign an in-form forward who has outscored both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined this season.
Man Utd transfer news
At Sporting Club, Ruben Amorim had a side built in his identity and, as a result, success quickly followed. He had marauding wing-backs, deadly attacking midfielders and, crucially, one of the most clinical forwards in European football in Viktor Gyokeres. At Manchester United, however, the 40-year-old has been handed the exact opposite - culminating in a place in the Premier League's bottom half.
From one of Europe's best strikers, Amorim has been forced to settle for Zirkzee and Hojlund, who have far from set the world alight despite costing a combined £108m across the last two summers.
It's a problem that must be solved at Old Trafford if Amorim is to stand any chance of success and that could yet see one in-form star arrive this summer. According to L'Equipe, as relayed by Get Football News France, Manchester United have now opened talks to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace, who value their forward at £40m this summer.
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Man Utd may wish they kept hold of this star
The Frenchman has been back to his best under Oliver Glasner in recent months, but was on the end of a horror challenge from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the FA Cup to bring his momentum to a crashing halt.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates after the match
Now on the road to recovery, Mateta will hope to pick up where he left off and perhaps impress Manchester United even further. As the summer approaches, the numbers certainly suggest that the Palace star would be a major upgrade on Zirkzee and Hojlund.
"Amazing" Mateta would be an instant upgrade
Even combined, Hojlund and Zirkzee are unable to match Mateta's numbers for Crystal Palace in all competitions this season. The forward has found the back of the net 15 times, whilst the duo have scored just seven and six goals to make a combined 13 in all competitions in what has been a season to forget for the both of them at Old Trafford.
Amid such clinical form, it's no surprise that Mateta has found himself at the centre of Glasner's praise, who recently told reporters: "We don't always talk because he knows what we demand of him. With his two goals today, he is amazing in the box.
"He has the feeling that a number nine must have in the box. He makes so many runs where he doesn't get the ball. You need to suffer as a striker because you make so many runs where you don't get the ball. He gets the reward and it decides the game for us."