The stunning £52m winger who could add to Man Utd’s weak attacking threat

The stunning £52m winger who could add to Man Utd’s weak attacking threat

Serge Gnabry has been linked with a move to Manchester United in January. Could he be the answer to Erik ten Hag’s offensive woes?

 

 

You might not have noticed it after being impressed with a 3-0 EFL Cup third round win over second division side Crystal Palace, but Manchester United have a few problems at the moment. On the pitch, United can count themselves somewhat lucky to have enough points to finish mid-table. Off the field…well, a lot of it is on fire.

And one of the many problems facing United is a glaring lack of quality across the board. Marcus Rashford naturally has his place on the left under control, even if he is sometimes needed in attack. Beyond and beyond…

 

Antony is unavailable while under investigation for alleged assault and doesn’t fare particularly well from the start. Mason Greenwood is loaned to Getafe after a public outcry over possible reinstatement following his own serious allegations. Jadon Sancho is persona non grata after refusing to kiss and make up since his fight with Erik ten Hag. Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri are talented but clearly not ready to start week after week in the Premier League. Amad Diallo is injured. It’s a paragraph that amounts to a huge hole in a struggling offensive line.

Mason Mount could and should have a chance in the top three now that he is back from injury, but he is not used to playing on the right flank, which is the most obvious vacancy. Whatever happens, United are desperate to find a right-wing striker in the January transfer window. Fortunately, there may be one available. Serge Gnabry has become an established player at the highest level since leaving Arsenal in 2017, and the 28-year-old has scored 82 goals in 224 appearances for Bayern Munich over the last five years, not to mention playing every two years scored more than one goal every year. match on his 43 international matches with Germany. He is versatile and plays all over the offensive line, but is primarily a right wing. A goalscorer on the right with a few holes in his game, exactly what United need – and he could well be available.

Gnabry was in and out of the starting XI last season and hasn’t played a full 90 minutes since the DFL-Supercup spectacular against RB Leipzig. It might be an exaggeration to say he is out of favor with Thomas Tuchel, but his stock has slipped slightly with Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala and Mathys Tel impressing in recent games. His playing time was limited and he was rumored to have fallen out with former Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann when he began agitating for a move. The manager may have changed, but Gnabry may still feel it’s time to move on.

Numerous media outlets have reported in recent days that Gnabry has become a target for United as they look to resolve one of their problem positions in January. £52 million is the figure under discussion, which seems like a fair price for a top player in his theoretical prime. If United are to challenge for the top four positions again this season, their guile, firepower and experience could be crucial. And Gnabry would have plenty to offer United even if he were in a position to recall the likes of Antony and Sancho again. He is smarter with the ball than the Brazilian and better in front of goal than the English winger. He has much more experience than players like Garnacho, Pellitri and Diallo.

He is not the perfect player and hasn’t been at his best in recent months, but he is still an extremely dangerous player in the region. His ball-carrying skills and ability to keep a man upright are not as strong as some of the world’s best wingers, his passing is solid but not spectacular, and while he is quick, he is not among the best athletes of world football. . But his all-round game and intelligent ball management are among the best, and he scores goals – something United desperately need.

Of course, there are problems with the proposed deal – not least the fact that Gnabry was recently forced off the field during a DFP Cup match against Preußen Münster with a broken arm. Tuchel said he will be out for “a few weeks”, which at least means the fracture isn’t too serious and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be out of his cast when the transfer window reopens.

 

 

He also has a fairly hefty contract, worth up to £315,000 a week and running until 2026. It’s unlikely the German will be prepared to take a particularly big pay cut, it’s why United will have to open their checkbook wide to complete the deal, even though the upfront fee is relatively normal at top clubs these days. And then there’s the big problem facing every United player: United repeatedly find their players underperforming at Old Trafford, both in training and on the pitch on Saturday afternoons. Reports of low morale and discussions with staff are relatively routine and have been for some time. United simply fail to build an environment where they can get the best out of their players and make them feel fresh, strong and motivated. If they can’t fix the problem in the next few months, it may not matter who they buy. But if they can… Gnabry should be at the top of the shopping list.