The rebuilding process at Manchester United is well started, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe aiming to improve the club’s operations.
However, no on-field acquisitions have occurred in what has been a quiet January for the Red Devils, who have yet to welcome any new faces to the club.
Erik ten Hag is particularly interested in improving his team’s attacking performance, as they are struggling in the final third.
Manchester United’s Search For A New Attacker.
According to reports from Spain, Manchester United is in the running to capture Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma.
However, they will face stiff competition for his signature, with Arsenal being the favourites after Mikel Arteta personally ordered a move. Manchester City, the treble champions, are also interested in the Japanese forward.
Mitoma’s estimated value as per CIES Football Observatory is £68m, which likely rules out a move occurring this month due to FFP restrictions.
How does Mitoma Compare To Rashford?
Marcus Rashford was unstoppable and confident last season, scoring 17 goals in the Premier League.
However, he has been a shadow of his former self this season, scoring only four goals in 26 games, and the last thing he needs right now is media attention for his off-the-field activities, which were captured in a Belfast nightclub a few days ago.
Nonetheless, consistency is what United has lacked this season, and Ten Hag will expect his players to perform to a particular level for the most part. Having said that, Mitoma might be the man who provides a consistent danger in the United attack, which is bad news for Rashford.
The Japanese attacker entertained the Premier League for the first time last season when he scored seven goals and registered five assists in 24 starts.
This season, he’s on course to match his previous records, having scored three goals and supplied four assists in 13 starts, despite an ankle ailment limiting his playing time.
Nonetheless, let’s look at Mitoma’s stats from this season, which show he’d be a terrific signing for United.
Mitoma can do anything with the ball at his feet, and based on the statistics, it’s no wonder that he wrote his undergraduate thesis on dribbling.
The 26-year-old impresses opponents with his feints, which allow him to get past them and carry the ball into dangerous areas.
Ten Hag’s team lacks players who can challenge opponents, with only two players in the lineup averaging more than one successful dribble per game, making United far too easy to beat.
Despite his modest goal production, the direct dribble into the box frequently offers him with an opportunity to work half a yard of space to either set up a teammate or slot the ball into the corner. Mitoma’s former colleague Christian Burgess says he “finishes like [Thierry] Henry.”
However, Mitoma’s biggest issue is that he is frequently targeted by two, and sometimes three, players, because there can only be one winner in a 1v1 scenario. However, it provides significant benefits to the rest of the team by allowing a numerical advantage to occur elsewhere.
There is no player in the United squad who can have the same impact on a game as Mitoma, so signing the Japan international may be a fantastic financial decision, even if it means removing Rashford from the first-team picture.
