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Manchester United are keen to sign an experienced striker to help support the development of Rasmus Hojlund, 90min understands, rendering a move for Ajax striker Brian Brobbey less likely at this point.
Hojlund joined from Atalanta for £72m during the summer but has endured a challenging debut year in the Premier League. The 20-year-old had to wait until December for his first goal in the competition and has found the back of the net just twice in 16 league outings.
United are open to signing a new forward to help ease the pressure on Hojlund’s shoulders and 90min reported earlier this month that Bayern Munich striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, 34, is a potential target.
Choupo-Moting is seen as an experienced option with a proven track record of scoring goals at a reliable rate, with United officials confident that is the sort of profile would be helpful for the team in the short-term. Choupo-Moting is open to a January move, but the challenge is Bayern also value him as a squad member even after Harry Kane has joined.
Reports elsewhere have named Ajax striker Brobbey as a potential target for Erik ten Hag but sources have confirmed to 90min that United are currently favouring a move for a different type of striker for the summer.
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While Brobbey, 21, has impressed this season with a return of 11 goals from 17 Eredivisie games, there is an awareness from United that the Dutchman might prove a riskier choice given Manchester United need a 15+ lead striker as a priority. Brobbey netted 13 goals in 32 games last season but went goalless in 14 outings for RB Leipzig before his return to Amsterdam meaning he may be assessed over a longer period beyond the summer before any final determination is made on him.
Brobbey has confirmed he rejected the chance to follow Ten Hag to United in 2022, and although the Red Devils have tracked his development ever since, there has been no formal contact and a move has not advanced at this stage. Brobbey also recently confirmed he hasn’t spoken directly to Ten Hag in a while.
Much of United’s summer transfer business will depend on incoming shareholders INEOS and the recruitment team that will be put in place over the coming months, while Ten Hag’s future at the club will also come into consideration when plans are drawn up. This means targets could change dramatically depending on the names that come in and the budget allocated, which will also hinge on whether Manchester United can qualify for the Champions League.
It’s understood that INEOS currently favour a move for an experienced or proven goalscorer. But Brobbey may be cheaper than a handful of alternative targets but that reflects the fact that like Hojlund his is a riskier purchase given Manchester United need a scorer for the ‘now’ and not for the future.
