One of many points with Manchester United’s present squad is the dearth of targets upfront from strikers Joshua ZIrkzee and Rasmus Hojlund. Zirkzee is a participant who brings a lot extra other than targets, given his capability to hyperlink up play, though Ruben Amoirm would maybe have appreciated to have seen him rating greater than the 4 targets he has managed to date.
Hojlund is a participant who possesses nice expertise however has regarded in need of confidence at instances this season. He has scored seven targets within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, though simply two of these have come within the Premier League.
Marcus Rashford additionally appears set to depart the membership, with The Manchester Night Information reporting that Aston Villa are closing in on a late transfer for the 27-year-old.
To assist add targets to their sides – and doubtlessly fill Rashford’s ‘void’ – United have been linked with a brand new striker within the closing days of the switch window.
Man Utd’s seek for a striker
The participant in query right here is Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface. The 24-year-old Nigerian worldwide got here near a transfer to Saudi aspect Al Nassr initially of the week, and though the deal broke down, he might nonetheless go away the German champions.
In accordance with a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, United ‘have been made conscious of his state of affairs’ as a result of ‘historic curiosity’ they’ve in signing him, and will make a transfer earlier than the switch window slams shut on Monday.
The Saudi aspect had agreed on a payment of £50m for the Nigerian, so it’s secure to imagine he might value United anyplace upwards of that payment.
Nonetheless, they don’t seem to be the one Premier League aspect to have been supplied the possibility to signal him. London trio Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have additionally been notified of his availability, as have Aston Villa, who want a substitute for Jhon Duran after his transfer to Al Nassr.
Why Boniface could be a very good signing
If there’s one factor Boniface will carry to United’s assault, it’s maybe the factor they want most; targets. This season, he has managed to seek out the again of the online eight instances in 15 appearances in all competitions.
He made a powerful begin to the 2024/25 marketing campaign, with six targets and an help within the first ten Bundesliga video games, however an damage has since stored him sidelined. Nonetheless, that was definitely a competition of his type the earlier season.
In arguably one of the best group of 2023/24, Boniface led the assault below Xabi Alonso fantastically. He managed 21 targets and ten assists in 34 video games, displaying why soccer expertise scout Jacek Kulig described him as a “full ahead”.
Simply as he did this season, he began the 2023/24 on hearth, with 9 targets and assists in seven top-flight video games.
He has additionally managed to outperform Rashford over the previous few seasons. It has not been a simple couple of campaigns for the England worldwide, who has seven targets throughout all competitions this season and managed simply eight final time period.
Nonetheless, he has an exemplary file at his boyhood membership, with 138 targets to his title, in 426 appearances since making his debut again in 2015/16.
Ought to United handle to signal Boniface, he might be their very own model of Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. Former supervisor Erik ten Hag confirmed that the membership wished to carry the England captain to Outdated Trafford in the summertime of 2023, however they “could not get him”, with the Bundesliga giants as a substitute profitable the race.
Of their seek for extra targets, there is no such thing as a doubt that Kane would have introduced simply that to United. His file for Bayern is solely excellent, with 70 targets and 22 assists in simply 72 video games. He has been phenomenal.
The Crimson Devils may need their very own model of Kane in the event that they signed the Nigerian striker. The pair are famous as comparable gamers throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues, as per FBref, displaying simply how lethal Leverkusen’s quantity 22 might be in entrance of aim.
For instance, Boniface has an anticipated targets per sport of 0.89xG, in comparison with Kane’s 0.86xG. The Leverkusen star additionally averaged 3.7 shot-creating actions per sport, with Kane solely barely extra, averaging 3.73 shot-creating actions per sport.
Boniface vs. Kane key stats 2024/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
Stat (per 90) | Boniface | Kane |
Anticipated targets | 0.89xG | 0.86xG |
Pictures | 5.47 | 3.79 |
Pictures on track | 1.19 | 1.57 |
Objectives per shot on track | 0.43 | 0.42 |
Shot-creating actions | 3.7 | 3.73 |
Stats from FBref | ||
This might be an excellent deal for United. For ‘simply’ £50m, they’d be beating a few of their greatest rivals to a striker whose numbers are up there with the England captain, and who might definitely add targets to their aspect.
This might be the precise deal Amorim wants to assist his aspect push for a good Premier League end.
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