Man United are a consistent goalscorer away from challenging at the top end of the Premier League, there is one obvious name on the market.
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Manchester United are one of the teams who have benefited from a congested Premier League table with Ruben Amorim knowing that his side aren’t far away from where he wants them to be.
Earlier in the season, United were threatening to turn the corner with the Red Devils topping several statistics charts for chances being created and expected goals. All they need is a consistent goalscorer and a Champions League place becomes a serious consideration.
The injured Benjamin Sesko hasn’t played badly, but with only two goals in 12 games, the Slovenian hasn’t had the impact that was hoped when a cheque for £75m was written to secure his services.
Dusan Vlahovic could be the perfect Man United option
Despite falling out of favour in the summer and Juventus trying to sell him, United-linked Dusan Vlahovic has been a regular starter in Turin and has a more than respectable eight goals in 18 appearances, a number that is even more impressive when minutes played are considered.
With one goal every 110 minutes, Vlahovic has the sort of return that Amorim would love from his no.9 as well as having the physicality and link-up play that would benefit Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Sesko is set to miss the next month, at least, and should be back just as Mbeumo and Amad Diallo jet off for the African Cup of Nations. Amorim’s hopes of pushing on won’t be helped if Joshua Zirkzee is who he has to rely on to score goals.
The Netherlands international has found himself as an outsider this season after the summer arrivals and when the January window opens, United should look to move him on as soon as possible to free up space, and money to sign a more appropriate forward.
With Vlahovic’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, United could land a proven goalscorer with the perfect profile to lead the line and a second half of the season charge.
Dusan Vlahovic linked with a move to the Premier League
According to The Daily Mail’s Matt Barlow, when asked who Tottenham Hotspur are looking to target, he revealed that Vlahovic could be an option: “Right now, the priority appears to be at centre forward, but Spurs need one from the very top bracket to improve the team and not another from the next level down to clutter what they already have. When January comes around, it may be that Dominic Solanke is fit and in form and the issue feels like something that can wait until the summer.
“The Paratici factor makes me think they will at the very least check out what’s happening with Dusan Vlahovic, whose contract at Juventus expires in June. His situation has changed slightly since Luciano Spalletti replaced Igor Tudor as boss. Spalletti says he wants to keep Vlahovic and would like him to sign a new deal, but the 25-year-old Serb is on big wages worth £10million a year after tax and a free transfer in the summer would be hugely lucrative for him.
“If Spurs can afford to pay him what he is asking for then this deal, either in January or in the summer, feels at this stage a more viable option than Ivan Toney, who has been subject to a lot of speculation because of his links to Thomas Frank.”
For Spurs, see United. If Amorim is to close the gap, he doesn’t need a project, he needs a proven goalscorer. Vlahovic would be on big wages, but without a big transfer fee, the overall deal is a no-brainer.