Bad news for Hojlund: Man Utd plot move for "one of the best STs out there"

There will be no domestic trophies for Manchester United this season as they have already been knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup, whilst being out of contention for the Premier League.

Their top-flight season has been particularly disappointing as they are currently sat in 13th place with just ten wins and 12 losses in the division so far.

The Red Devils have struggled in numerous areas, hence why they are so low down in the table, but goalscoring has been a significant problem for Ruben Amorim’s team, as it was for Erik Ten Hag’s.

Manchester United have only scored 37 goals in 29 matches in the Premier League, which is the second-lowest tally (behind Crystal Palace’s 36) in the top 14 teams in the division.

Despite beating Leicester City 3-0 last time out, goalscoring remains a problem for United moving forward and it has been an issue throughout the squad, not just in the forward department.

Why Manchester United have scored so few goals

The Red Devils have created 42.79 xG worth of chances in the Premier League so far this season, which shows that the overall team have underperformed in front of goal.

Essentially, United have not done enough to make the most of the high-quality opportunities that they have created in matches, and that has cost them throughout the season – as evidenced by their goal output and league position.

As you can see in the table above, four of the five players with the most xG in the Premier League for the Red Devils this term have underperformed, with only Amad Diallo elevating the quality of his chances to score two more goals.

These statistics can either suggest that United are creating chances for the wrong players and should be looking to create more for other stars, or that the board – simply – need to invest in the squad to improve their attacking options in the upcoming summer window.

Rasmus Hojlund, signed from Atalanta for £72m in the summer of 2023, is the club’s number nine and has only scored three goals in 24 appearances in the top-flight, underperforming against his xG.

Manchester United are, now, reportedly interested in adding another centre-forward to their ranks in the summer, and that could be very bad news for the Danish marksman.

The latest on Man Utd’s pursuit of Bundesliga star

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are one of a number of European sides showing an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt number nine Hugo Ekitike.

The report claims that the Red Devils are planning to add a new striker to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, and that they are keeping close tabs on the Bundesliga star.

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It adds that Frankfurt will demand a ‘huge’ fee for their centre-forward, although it does not state exactly how much, and reveals that Newcastle United and other ‘elite’ European teams are in the race to secure the former Paris Saint-Germain ace’s signature.

This suggests that Manchester United will face plenty of competition as they plot a swoop to land the France U21 international to bolster their attacking options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Ekitike, who has been compared to the likes of Alexander Isak and Omar Marmoush, rejected a move to Newcastle in 2022, which suggests that the Red Devils may have the edge over the Magpies in this race unless the 22-year-old forward has changed his mind on a switch to Tynecastle since then.

The news that United are plotting a ‘huge’ swoop to sign the Frankfurt centre-forward should, now, come as very bad news to Hojlund, as it could end his chances of nailing down the number nine position as his own moving forward.

Why signing Hugo Ekitike would be bad news for Rasmus Hojlund

The Denmark international has been competing with Joshua Zirkzee for the striker role this season and they have combined for just six goals between them, which shows that neither of them have been the reliable forward that Amorim has needed.

Because Zirkzee has also struggled for goals, Hojlund has had plenty of chances to start games – starting 17 times in the top-flight – but those opportunities could be limited by the arrival of a new marksman.

Ekitike, who scored a hat-trick against England’s U21s during the break, is a centre-forward who has the potential to nail down the position as his own as a regular starter, leaving Hojlund and Zirkzee feeding on scraps as substitutes or as rotation options in cup competitions.

Analyst Ben Mattinson recently claimed that the 22-year-old star “is one of the best strikers out there” and it is hard to argue with that when you look at his form for club and country.

Along with his hat-trick for France’s U21s, Ekitike has produced 19 goals and eight assists in all competitions for Frankfurt this season, including three goals from 2.58 xG in the Europa League.

As you can see in the table above, the French starlet has significantly outperformed Hojlund at league level so far this term, with ten more goals and four more assists.

These statistics suggest that the Ekitike would come in as a huge upgrade on the Danish marksman and that is why his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer transfer window would be very bad news for the former Atalanta man.

It could result in his game time being heavily restricted, as Amorim may want his best number nine to start week-in-week-out, and that could force the £72m signing to consider his long-term future at the club.

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Therefore, Hojlund may hope to enjoy a strong end to the Premier League and Europa League season to show the manager and the board that he has what it takes to be the first-choice, because his form to date suggests that the signing of Ekitike is very much needed.