With Rasmus Hojlund only netting twice in his first 16 appearances and Anthony Martial now ruled out for ten weeks after undergoing groin surgery, Erik ten Hag and Manchester United are in the market for a new striker this month, but they have very little wiggle room with Financial Fair Play.
The Red Devils are reportedly in pole position to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, though they would have to pay a mid-season premium with the Italian side demanding a fee of £43m, and Ten Hag has confirmed publicly that the money is not there for such a signing.
That could make a short-term loan deal for Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting more appealing. United have apparently made contact with the reigning Bundesliga champions over a six-month agreement that would cost a “minimal amount”.
Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, meanwhile, would represent a higher-profile loan signing, and United are one of the clubs to hold talks with his entourage as he looks to return to Europe from Saudi Arabia. Now, though, another striker link has emerged, this time involving a player based in the Premier League.
Man Utd eye Wilson as Newcastle under pressure
According to The Evening Standard, Manchester United are interested in signing Callum Wilson from Newcastle United. The Magpies are under pressure to raise funds to ensure they comply with the league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, having spent around £400m since their takeover by the Saudi Public Investment Fund in the autumn of 2021.
That has put Wilson on the market as a “sellable asset”, with Man Utd “alerted to his availability” alongside rivals Chelsea and Arsenal. All three clubs are hopeful of adding a number nine to their ranks before the transfer deadline, and it’s thought Wilson may cost only £18m.
Only Haaland is more prolific than Wilson
The big attraction to Wilson, as opposed to Zirkzee, Choupo-Moting or even Benzema, is that he’s proven in the Premier League. He’s scored 140 senior goals in his career, including 46 in 102 appearances for Newcastle and 86 in 215 in the English top-flight.
He finished fifth in the league’s scoring charts last season with 18 goals, and he achieved this despite only appearing in 31 out of a possible 38 matches. Indeed, his average of 0.86 goals per 90 ranked him second in the division behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (1.17), and this year, with seven in 14 outings, he’s faring marginally better (0.87). Again, only Haaland can beat him, with the top five laid out below.
Rank | Player | Club | Premier League goals per 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 0.97 |
2 | Callum Wilson | Newcastle | 0.87 |
3 | Chris Wood | Nottingham Forest | 0.87 |
4 | Diogo Jota | Liverpool | 0.83 |
5 | Alexander Isak | Newcastle | 0.79 |
Wilson’s superb output is reflective of elite-level underlying numbers. Last season, he placed second in the Premier League and third in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes (0.72), and he’s virtually matching that this year (0.7). By this logic, he “should” score between 26 and 27 goals over a 38-game season because he generates so many chances with his predatory movement.
The Englishman shares the same agent as United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and it remains to be seen whether that aids negotiations. As much as the numbers above sound wonderful, though, this would still be a gamble for United. Since he joined Newcastle, Wilson has missed 71 games through injury, and he’s currently on the sidelines with a calf problem. Due to turn 32 next month, he’d be a short-term addition, and so there may be concerns about how many games United can actually get out of him over a two to three-year span.
