Since Erik ten Hag took charge of Manchester United, he has gone from strength to strength in most departments and the players he has brought in have already made a huge impact.
The defense has been upgraded with the signings of Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez, who have already cemented their status as first-team players.
The free transfer of Christian Eriksen has changed the dynamic of the midfield, while the arrival of Casemiro has seen Scott McTominay raise the levels of his game. Antony made an immediate impact by scoring the opening goal against Arsenal.
????????????| Erik ten Hag is eyeing Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos to increase Manchester United’s firepower. #MUFC
[@ncustisTheSun] pic.twitter.com/93JdNqU3OJ
— UtdActive ???? (@UtdActive) September 19, 2022
The Dutch coach did want to sign a striker, but in the end none of the rumors materialized. But before a busy October, it became clear why the manager was insisting on the need to bring in a suitable number 9.
striker needed
The resurgence of Marcus Rashford has been one of the stories of the season, but he is currently injured with a muscle problem. Anthony Martial, after impressing in pre-season, has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon problem.
The Frenchman has only managed a single substitute appearance so far. The only fit forward at Ten Hag’s disposal at the moment is Cristiano Ronaldo.
But the Portuguese is yet to reach full form after missing the entire pre-season for personal reasons. While he managed to open his account for the season against Sheriff Tiraspol, his overall play in the Ten Hag system needs further refinement.
Add to this the uncertainty surrounding United No 7 and it becomes clear why the Red Devils need to recruit a striker in January. There are already rumors that Ronaldo will look for a way out again in the winter window.
The Sun have exclusively revealed that United are eyeing Benfica ace Goncalo Ramos to increase their attacking options in the winter.
“Benfica values him at around £25m, which United would not exceed, despite the player reportedly having a £100m release clause,” Neil Custis stated in his article.
Goncalo Ramos the perfect complement
The 21-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring eight goals in 12 games “which prompted United to contact their representatives”.
Ramos began the campaign with a sensational hat-trick against Danish side Midtjylland in Champions League qualifying. In the Portuguese League he has scored four goals in six games and has added another two assists.
His name began to circulate in the British press after his goal against Liverpool in the second leg of last season’s Champions League quarter-final at Anfield.
Interestingly, United are not the only team looking to acquire his services. The Sun mentions that the Portuguese Under-21 star was “linked to Newcastle in the last window when Eddie Howe was looking for a striker, and is also being tracked by Bayern Munich”.
Benfica’s asking price remains reasonable for such a young and talented striker, but the Glazers are already eyeing next summer as the window to strengthen further after blowing their transfer budget this window.
United risk missing out on another attacking star in January, just like Julián Álvarez did last year. With the team finally responding to Ten Hag’s methods, not backing him in January would be a huge mistake.
