CONFIRMED! – Erik Ten Hag confirm new attacker on the way as Man Utd could move Hojlund aside by signing “incredible” £70m Bundesliga striker faster than Haaland

CONFIRMED! – Erik Ten Hag confirm new attacker on the way as Man Utd could move Hojlund aside by signing “incredible” £70m Bundesliga striker faster than Haaland

Manchester United’s 0-0 draw at Anfield may not look overly impressive on paper, but the resilience and togetherness we saw have been missing this season.

The result was the Red Devils’ first draw of the season in the Premier League, putting them seventh with 28 points after 17 matches.

Erik ten Hag will be pleased with the way his side defended, but it was clear that United are struggling in the final third.

They’ve only netted 18 times this season, and with that in mind, the boss may want to reinforce his attacking options in January.

Man Utd transfers latest – Lois Openda
According to TEAMtalk, Ten Hag wants to sign Belgian striker Lois Openda, whom he reportedly thinks very highly of.

Openda only moved to Germany in the summer, and RB Leipzig have slapped a £70m release clause on the forward, which comes into play in the summer of 2025.

A move this winter is highly unlikely due to the Bundesliga side wanting to keep their star man, but a transfer in the summer could occur.

Lois Openda’s style of play
Since his move from Lens to Germany, Openda has made a huge impact on the Leipzig side, thriving instantly in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League. This is evidenced by his 15 goals and four assists in just 24 appearances across all competitions.

The 23-year-old is an elite finisher who uses excellent movement and composure to put the ball in the back of the net. Openda is also comfortable in his left foot despite his right being his strongest, which makes him far less predictable inside the box and in 1v1 scenarios.

As per Athletic European football writer Seb Stafford-Bloor, the Belgian’s pace is “terrifying,” and he has hit a higher top speed in the Champions League than Erling Haaland this season, 35.71 km/h and 34.6 km/h, respectively.

lois-openda-rb-leipzig-premier-league
However, how does Openda compare to United’s current striker, Rasmus Hojlund, who has struggled massively in the Premier League, failing to score in 13 appearances?

As you can see, Openda and Hojlund rarely get involved in the build-up and play on the fringe of the game. However, the Leipzig forward has much more of an impact in the box and has the ability to put away chances with ease, unlike the 20-year-old, who has underperformed his xG in the league by 3.01.

Also, the ex-Vitesse player has shown consistency in front of goal over the previous two seasons, hitting at least 18 goals domestically in back-to-back campaigns, and he is on track to continue that this season.

Based on the data and level of output, Openda would improve the Red Devils and potentially even Hojlund by taking some pressure off the young Dane.

Having said that, a striker can only perform if he is provided with service, and the ex-Atalanta player has been living off scraps for the majority of this season.

Therefore, although the Belgium international would make United a better side, other positions and issues may need to be addressed first