It seems as though Manchester United finally have a long-term number nine that they can build around.
Rasmus Hojlund is that man, having impressed during his debut campaign at Old Trafford, despite often being criticised.
At just 21 years of age, the number 11 has scored ten in the Premier League and five in the Champions League, not a bad return for a relatively inexperienced striker.
However, due to the lack of availability of Anthony Martial, he’s often been pushed to the limits, and therefore, it’s not surprising to see that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eyeing up a move for a centre forward.
Man Utd want to find a Hojlund backup
According to recent reports from Spain, centre forward Joselu is said to be a “priority target” for Man United this summer.
The Spaniard is currently on loan at Real Madrid from second-tier side Espanyol, but once it expires in June, his current club and the Red Devils will look to acquire his signature.
Apparently “consistent interest” has been displayed by the Manchester club as they ready a move for the attacker.
On top of that, it’s expected that if United do decide to make a move for Joselu, they will table an offer of a two-year contract, earning £4.3m per season.
Why Joselu could make Hojlund unstoppable
Former Stoke City and Newcastle United flop Joselu has well and truly revived his career since returning to his home nation, Spain.
After scoring 16 LaLiga goals for a relegated Espanyol last season, the Spaniard joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan, a club where he’s – in the words of journalist Julien Laurens – become "the best sub ever."
The reason for this is due to his last-minute brace against Bayern Munich that helped Los Blancos reach the Champions League final, a historic moment for the player, who's proven he can step up when it matters most, even if he's not a first-choice starter.
That said, the 34-year-old has been finding the back of the net all season, scoring an impressive 17 goals across all competitions.
But how would a rival for Hojlund’s position arguably make him better, you may ask? Well, it’s a well-known fact that Ten Hag has been keen to take some of the workload off the young forward recently.
Matches
30
34
Goals
10
10
xG
7.64
11.57
Assists
2
2
Shots (per game)
1.3
1.9
Touches (per game)
22.8
16.1
Passes completed (per game)
10
7.5
The former Atalanta star has struggled with a few injuries over the past year, while he’s also looked visibly exhausted on the field, which obviously won’t provide results.
Therefore, having an experienced player that can serve as a rotation option would enable Hojlund to be sharp and fully fit when called upon, in turn boosting his performance levels, as we’ve seen in recent weeks when he’s come on as a substitute. That just highlights how deadly he can be when fresh, scoring against Newcastle and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Overall, not only would Joselu provide a different style of play to Hojlund and bring goals, but he’d also make the Dane a better player, something that could prove to be incredibly valuable.
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