GiveMeSport
·14 January 2024
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·14 January 2024
Manchester United target Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is believed to be 'open' to a move, even if current club Bayern Munich are also said to be happy with the striker's current status, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano exclusively revealed to GIVEMESPORT.
The former Stoke City forward has emerged as a shock January target for Man United, with Erik ten Hag said to be keen to sign a more experienced striker to help take the pressure off summer arrival Rasmus Hojlund. Boasting just one Premier League goal to his name, the Hojlund transfer hasn't worked out so far, meaning United are keen to add reinforcements to their forward line in January.
It probably wasn't the course of action the United hierarchy were expecting to take when they splashed £72 million on Hojlund during the summer transfer window, but after a sketchy start to life at Old Trafford, it looks as if the Red Devils are once again eyeing up a striker addition.
That's according to The Daily Mail, who claim United have drawn up a shortlist of short-term striker options, with the view to bringing a player into the building this month. Originally on that list was former Chelsea star Timo Werner, but fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur moved fastest and secured a loan deal for the German international this week.
Elsewhere, Bundesliga star Serhou Guirassy is also attracting attention from the Greater Manchester outfit, with the VfB Stuttgart man rumoured to have a cost-effective release clause. Reported to be in the region of £15 million, Guirassy is an option that wouldn't break the bank for United, but given his relatively understated past, he is far from a proven centre-forward option.
The same cannot be said about Choupo-Moting, who has also been name-dropped in conversations surrounding United striker targets. While fans of the Premier League will remember him from a less-than-successful stint at Stoke City, the Cameroon international is a reliable option and with over 120 career goals to his name, he certainly knows where the back of the net is and was called "outstanding" by former teammate Nikolce Noveski, as per One Football.
In an earlier update provided to GIVEMESPORT, Romano admitted that United had now held talks with Bayern Munich about the potential signing of Choupo-Moting in January. Hinting the 34-year-old is just one of several players the United transfer chiefs have been in contact with, the Italian journalist does expect movement on the striker front to come in the following days and weeks at Old Trafford.
Now, in his latest update to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano admitted that Choupo-Moting is open to joining United in search of more regular game time at Old Trafford. Hinting that Harry Kane's arrival has limited his time on the pitch, it's suggested the ex-Stoke man could be tempted with a Premier League return, should United come knocking in January.
On the current state of play with Choupo-Moting and United, Romano revealed:
“Yeah, I think he will be open to that. I'm also hearing that at Bayern Munich they're very happy with him because he's been super professional every time they needed him, he's always been on point and always been available in the best conditions. “Bayern would like to keep him, even though they have Harry Kane, because Mathys Tel is very young, he's doing fantastic but he's very young.”
As is often the case, United's ability to bring a player to the club could hinge on whether they can shift players out of the side. One name being tipped to depart Old Trafford this month is Anthony Martial, with talk of a transfer to Turkey starting to hot up.
Martial has entered the final five months of his contract with the three-time European champions, and without an extension, the Frenchman would be allowed to join a club for free at the end of the current campaign. In a bid to stop that from happening, there has been chatter about United finally cashing in on the forward, with The Manchester Evening News reporting interest from Fenerbahce, even if Martial himself isn't enamoured with the options on offer.
Absent from the squad for the previous four weeks through illness, it's unlikely ten Hag and Co. will miss his presence in the side, with a move away from United looking like the best move for Martial at this stage of his career. Having arrived amid plenty of promise back in 2015, things haven't worked out for the Lyon academy graduate during his time in England.