Manchester United could soon set their sights on KRC Genk’s Paul Onuachu as they continue their search for a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
United are reportedly interested in Wout Weghorst, but with issues surrounding the Dutchman’s removal from his loan at Besiktas, they may need to consider alternatives sooner rather than later.
In Onuachu, the Red Devils would no doubt find a similar skill set, and according to Jeunes Footeux, that would make him an ideal target for Erik ten Hag.
An imposing man, the Genk striker is well known at Old Trafford, having scored the winner for FC Midtjylland in a 2-1 win over Louis van Gaal’s side while he was manager. Onuachu stated that he “expected more” from the Red Devils. .
He has since moved to Belgium and made a name for himself as a true handful for defenders, enjoying sensational goalscoring form this season.
In 16 appearances in the Belgian Pro League, the striker has netted 14 times so far this season.
While Jeunes Footeux sees Onuachu as a “financially accessible” option for Man United, his reported price of around €25m would suggest otherwise.
After all, this is a club spending the winter window looking almost exclusively at loan moves after a huge outlay in the summer and uncertainty at the club’s top.
At 28, Onuachu would not be the typical player profile United would hope to pull out of the Belgian league either, as he would hardly be seen as a development project.
But given Ten Hag’s insistence on having multiple attacking options, the Nigerian striker clearly possesses qualities that are lacking in the current squad, which make him “particularly appreciated” by the Dutchman, according to the report.
It’s unclear if those qualities would make him a realistic summer target.
At the price quoted, it does not appear realistic in January, nor would its form to your current employers suggest much likelihood of a loan.
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