Rasmus Hojlund’s eyes must have lit up as the ball fell his way, with the struggling Manchester United striker seemingly having a clear run on David Raya’s goal, as Sunday’s Premier League tussle headed into the closing stages.
An on-fire and on-form centre-forward may well have converted without hesitation, but now on a run of 20 games without a goal, Hojlund dallied, allowing Declan Rice the chance to produce what was an expertly timed tackle.
Having also been denied by Gabriel after meeting Toby Collyer’s cross at the near post, it proved to be another luckless outing for the 22-year-old Dane, with his Premier League tally remaining at just two goals for the season – level with centre-back colleague, Matthijs de Ligt.
Signed for a mammoth initial fee of £64m – more than Newcastle United and Manchester City spent on Alexander Isak (£63m) and Erling Haaland (£51.2m), for context – Hojlund really is enduring a dismal campaign, having shown signs of life in 2023/24 after finishing as the club’s top scorer.
The former Atalanta man is still young enough to come good at Old Trafford, although it would appear that INEOS are already seeking new striking targets for the summer…
Man Utd's pursuit of Mateta
Recent days have been rife with talk surrounding United’s interest in Crystal Palace hero, Jean-Philippe Mateta, with French outlet L’Equipe reporting that negotiations have already been held regarding a £40m move for the 27-year-old.
The former Mainz marksman – who arrived at Selhurst Park back in January 2022 – has been something of a revelation for the Eagles in recent times, having ended last season with 16 Premier League goals to his name.
Despite a slow start to the current campaign, after scoring just four times in the top flight before the turn of the year, Mateta has hit fire in recent months, taking his tally to 12 league goals to date.
That respectable haul includes a crucial brace in the 2-0 win for Oliver Glasner’s side against the Red Devils at Old Trafford, with his overall record against United standing at three goals from just seven meetings.
It is then no surprise that the 6 foot 4 machine has caught the attention of those at the Theatre of Dreams, although he is certainly not the only striker that INEOS are keeping tabs on.
Man Utd's search for a striker
As reported by GIVEMESPORT, the Palace talisman is a ‘surprise name’ who has ‘shot up their list of considerations’ ahead of the summer window, with Ruben Amorim in need of a ready-made solution, despite the initial preference for a younger signing.
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The report does go on to state, however, that United’s ‘dream’ target would actually be Nigerian superstar, Victor Osimhen, with the Napoli man currently out on loan at Turkish side, Galatasaray.
As per the piece, the issue is that acquiring the 26-year-old looks ‘increasingly difficult’ due to potential demands over a wage and fee for the player, while United’s inability to qualify for Europe could also prove a stumbling block.
With a Europa League triumph still tentatively on the cards, however, that situation could be altered, with Osimhen representing the perfect upgrade on both Hojlund and Mateta.
Man Utd's dream upgrade on Hojlund & Mateta
Man United’s current number nine, Hojlund, has scored just seven goals in all competitions this season, while his positional ‘rival’, Joshua Zirkzee, has only netted six times since signing from Bologna, albeit having typically operated in a number ten berth of late.
The need for an attacking figurehead truly is stark, hence why bringing a talent like Osimhen into the fold would be a dream solution. As Statman Dave has stated, the one-time Lille ace is the “best striker on the market, by some distance”.
While the in-demand forward is operating outside of Europe’s top five leagues this season, he has been in red-hot form once again, scoring 23 goals in only 29 outings for the Istanbul side thus far – as many as Hojlund has scored in total in 80 games for United.
Player
Club
Games (all comps)
Goals
Zirkzee (2023/24)
Bologna
37
12
Hojlund (2022/23)
Atalanta/Sturm Graz
42
16
Cavani (2019/20)
PSG
22
7
Lukaku (2016/17)
Everton
39
26
Ibrahimovic (2015/16)
PSG
51
50
Martial (2014/15)
Monaco
48
12
Van Persie (2011/12)
Arsenal
48
37
76 in 133 for Napoli. 18 in 38 for Lille. 20 in 36 for Belgian side Charleroi. This is a man who has delivered the goods wherever he has been, aside from a brief goalless stint with Wolfsburg. As for Mateta, the Frenchman had scored just 27 goals in 71 games for Mainz, prior to joining the Eagles.
Yes, Osimhen boasts no prior Premier League experience, but it would be hard to bet against him delivering should he make the move to Manchester.
Described as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Lagos native is a true centre-forward in every sense of the forward, as shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 1% among his European peers for touches inside the attacking penalty area per 90, across the last 365 days.
Not just a poacher supreme, Osimhen is also a “beast in the air” and boasts “insane movement” – according to Mattinson – thus possessing all the attributes to make him a perfect fit in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system.
Reportedly available for roughly £62m this summer, the Napoli outcast does appear reasonably priced considering his remarkable scoring rate in his career so far, with it perhaps time for United to truly land a striker who is at the peak of their powers.
124 goals since leaving: Man Utd have already sold their answer to Mateta
Manchester United once had their own version of Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta.
ByDan EmeryMar 11, 2025
