Before the season started, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag had insisted on the importance of having at least two players for each position considering the condensed match schedule and the World Cup.
Following the Queen’s death, games against Crystal Palace and Leeds United had to be postponed and that has meant an even more packed schedule in the coming months.
United are currently light in a couple of areas, but the most problematic at the moment is in the forward department.
Strikers Short ETH
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only fit and available option at Ten Hag’s disposal, while Marcus Rashford is out with a muscle injury and Anthony Martial is yet to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.
The Portuguese scored against Sheriff Tiraspol, but he is still not in top form and Ten Hag had spoken about it after the Europa League match.
Manchester United are expected to move for a new rotation forward in January. Erik ten Hag wants a No.9; his preferred choice is Ajax’s Brian Brobbey. #MUFC [@Javier_EPP]
— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) September 16, 2022
“We could expect this, when you miss pre-season,” the United manager told club media.
“So he has to work really hard and invest to get fit and then score more goals. You can see that it is very close. When he is in shape, he will finish them.”
Rashford’s resurgence in the striker role is one of the best things to happen to the former Ajax manager, but he still has more to do when it comes to his holding game with his back to goal.
Martial is superior in that regard and can tie the game together more effectively, but his inconsistent form and injury history are not promising reading.
Add Ronaldo’s uncertain future to the list and these factors have necessitated the need for a new striker in the winter transfer window. And Ten Hag seems to think his former player Brian Brobbey is the perfect fit.
Brobbey the ETH man
According to Transfers, taking into account the fluid options at the manager’s disposal, the current Ajax striker is someone fit for the number 9 spot.
“Erik Ten Hag wants a zone of nine more, taking into account that he has more mobile profiles in the squad. Brian Brobbey is the profile that the coach likes the most,” the article said.
Brobbey was a target in the summer after the manager personally called him to convince him to come to Old Trafford, but the 20-year-old had decided to join Ajax.
In the past, the Dutch striker has spoken of his desire to join United in the future as he considers it his ‘dream club’.
You may get another call in January and it may be too good an offer to turn down one more time.
