Erik ten Hag admits he wants to sign a new striker in the January transfer window. Rasmus Hojlund is at least allaying those concerns for now. The Danish striker took some time to adapt to the Premier League, but now he is in good form with 3 goals in 3 consecutive matches.
The most satisfying thing is that the last two goals were especially typical predatory finishes, with Hojlund choosing the right position at the right time to cushion the ball from close range. He won’t take undue flattery for those goals, but they were precisely the kind of goals Manchester United haven’t seen in recent years.
Hojlund has also lacked support from his teammates this season, and it’s no surprise that his performance has increased at a time when several key players have returned. For example, the goal against Wolves would not have been possible without Luke Shaw on the left wing.
There is genuine excitement around Hojlund at the moment, and there is genuine curiosity about how he will continue to explode after a promising run of form. Man Utd really needs to find an answer to that question before making a decision to buy a striker in the transfer market. They are looking to buy at least two strikers this summer as Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood are all preparing to leave. Facundo Pellistri can also be sold and Amad is likely to leave the club on loan.
Hojlund’s form in the final months of the season will influence the type of striker the Red Devils want to add, as they look at both short-term solutions and long-term additions. There is still an opinion that the Old Trafford team needs an option at another stage of their career to ease the burden on Hojlund, although signing a contract with a player in his prime will not be good for Hojlund’s career. development of the rookie born in 2003.
Likewise, buying an inexperienced striker would double the problem at Old Trafford. This also causes difficulties when trying to develop two players at the same time, something that is really impossible when Man Utd only uses a 1-center striker system.
In an ideal world, Man Utd would add another experienced option like previous signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Edinson Cavani. This would give Ten Hag a viable replacement for Hojlund but at the same time cannot be used as a long-term striker.
It seems like this is the best plan for Man Utd to consolidate their options this summer, however for the plan to be effective, it depends on how consistent Hojlund maintains. Hojlund does not need to be replaced because he needs support and guidance to help him step up to the ranks of a world-class striker.