Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim secured his second consecutive Europa League victory last night, beating Viktoria Plzen 2-1, but once again, hi side made hard work of the win.
The Red Devils fell a goal behind just minutes into the second half after Andre Onana’s slack pass was pounced upon, handing Matej Vydra an open goal to put the hosts ahead.
However, Rasmus Hojlund saved the day, scoring a double off the substitutes’ bench, after being dropped for the meeting in the Czech Republic.
Summer addition Joshua Zirkzee once again failed to impress and take advantage of his start, being replaced after an hour, with his subsequent display putting his United career at risk.
He’s only scored three times in his 22 appearances for the Red Devils, looking way off the pace and not worth anywhere near the £36.5m fee forked out for his signature.
As a result, other options have recently been targeted, with Amorim clearly not happy with the attacking output, potentially putting an early end to the Dutchman’s career in England.
United’s pursuit of a new centre-forward
Rumours have been swirling over numerous names of strikers who could be set for a move to Old Trafford, but as of yet, no player looks close to a move to the North West.
Alexander Isak, Dušan Vlahović and Viktor Gyokeres are just three players who have been touted with a transfer in recent times, but they aren’t the only ones.
Brighton striker Joao Pedro was linked with a move to United earlier this week, named in a report by UOL as one of two Premier League sides registering interest in a move for the Brazilian international.
He’s made a phenomenal start to the ongoing campaign, scoring four and registering three assists in his opening nine matches, also catching the attention of Liverpool in the process.
There’s no mention of any potential price tag for the 23-year-old, but his versatility of being able to feature as a lone striker or as a number 10 would see him be a perfect fit for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
Pedro has proven he’s capable of being the main man in a Premier League outfit, making him a viable option for the new boss ahead of January, with his comparisons to one leading top-flight talent only highlighting what a stellar addition he would be.
Why Pedro could end Zirkzee’s United career
As previously mentioned, Zirkzee has been unable to make the impact he would’ve envisaged upon his big-money transfer, struggling to make his mark under Erik ten Hag and now Amorim.
The fast-paced nature of England’s top flight doesn’t appear to suit the 23-year-old, but he undeniably doesn’t have the characteristics of a traditional Amorim striker – lacking the work rate and hold-up play at the top end of the pitch.
Hojlund’s form is only going to decrease his game time, whilst a move for Pedro would massively impact his ability to gain the minutes he would desire.
When delving into the Brighton ace’s stats from the current season, he’s outperformed the former Bologna star in various areas – leading to comparisons from FBref to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
It may seem a farfetched resemblance given their difference in roles, but Pedro has bettered the Egyptian in multiple key attacking areas throughout recent months.
The Brazilian “magician”, as dubbed by commentator Kevin Hatchard, has registered fewer combined goals and assists this season, but managed to achieve a better goal per shot on target rate – making him a more clinical option based on his chances in front of goal.
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How Joao Pedro compares to Mohamed Salah in the Premier League (2024/25) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Pedro |
Salah |
|
Games played |
9 |
14 |
|
Goals & assists |
7 |
21 |
|
Goals per shot-on-target |
0.6 |
0.4 |
|
Progressive passes |
4 |
3.7 |
|
Pass accuracy |
74% |
72% |
|
Successful dribbles |
1.7 |
1.6 |
|
Aerials won |
1.9 |
0.2 |
|
Tackles won |
1.1 |
0.6 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
He may primarily be a centre-forward, but he’s registered more progressive passes per 90 than Arne Slot’s star man, showcasing his versatility in attacking areas, making him able to improve the goalscoring tallies of those around him.
Crucially, the Seagulls attacker has also won 1.1 tackles per 90, demonstrating his ability out of possession, arguably making him the perfect option for the 39-year-old United boss.
Any deal for Pedro will undoubtedly be yet another huge sum splashed by the current hierarchy, but it’s evident what he would bring to the current first-team side, providing an immediate upgrade, whilst also having the potential to improve down the line.
However, the Red Devils will face a huge task in convincing him to move to Old Trafford, rather than Anfield, should they decide to pursue a move for the 23-year-old in January.
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Manchester United secured a third consecutive Europa League victory last night.
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