When Manchester United take one step forward in one game, they take five steps backwards in the next.
After a 3-0 win away at Everton last Sunday, the Red Devils suffered a further blow in Europe by crumbling to a 3-3 draw in Istanbul against Galatasaray in midweek and were bested by top-four rivals Newcastle United on Saturday night in the Premier League.
Erik ten Hag will be left scratching his head once more after his side's performance away at St. James' Park. Man United had just eight shots on goal against the Magpies, with only three coming from inside the penalty area. All eight attempts at goal registered a measly xG of merely 0.48 which averages out at 0.06 xG per shot.
The centre-forward position has become a graveyard shift this season at Old Trafford and the noticeable lack of service to the striker is quite stark during games, but United's frontmen are struggling to convert the chances that are created. As a result, Ten Hag is eyeing up a player in January who could potentially alleviate his team's goalscoring woes.
Manchester United transfer links – Serhou Guirassy
According to The Guardian, Manchester United have added VfB Stuttgart centre-forward Serhou Guirassy to the club's Christmas wishlist ahead of the winter window to provide adequate competition for Rasmus Hojlund.
The outlet are reporting that the English giants have made contact with the player's agent and that the Guinea international has a release clause of just £15.1m which United could activate over the coming weeks.
Guirassy has had an incredible rise to stardom this season, breaking Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga record by scoring ten goals in the first five matches of the campaign. The 27-year-old is currently second in the goalscoring charts with 16 goals. Only England captain Harry Kane has found the net more times this season in Germany's top-flight.
In addition to the Manchester United links, Stuttgart's star striker is reportedly being eyed up by a whole host of clubs in England, including Arsenal, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Serhou Guirassy's stats this season
With his fifteen goals for Stuttgart, Guirassy has scored more than three times Manchester United's £72m summer showpiece signing Hojlund who has converted five opportunities this term, with all five coming in the Champions League.
Meanwhile. United's backup centre-forward Anthony Martial has scored just twice in all competitions for the English giants. Overall, Guirassy has scored more than double Ten Hag's two frontmen put together.
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The former Rennes number '9' is one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football this season and has outperformed both Hojlund and Martial in several key attacking metrics in all competitions.
Goals
1.77
0.4
0.31
Expected Goals
1.16
0.5
0.24
Shots
4.58
2.02
1.09
Shots On Target
2.08
0.81
0.63
Goals Per Shot
0.32
0.2
0.29
Stuttgart teammate and Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Denis Undav even described Guirassy as "ice cold" in front of goal, having scored 1.77 goals per 90 which is a tremendous record for a striker.
Since the beginning of the 2022/23 season, no player in Germany's top tier has scored more times than the Guinean with 27 goals in 33 appearances.
Additionally, Guirassy is one of only three players to score 15 or more goals in Europe's top-five leagues this term, alongside Bayern's Kane and Paris Saint-Germain's Ballon d'Or nominee Kylian Mbappe, meaning the Stuttgart frontman has achieved this feat quicker than even Manchester City's goalscoring machine Erling Haaland.
Bruno Fernandes' stats this season
Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United's main creative fulcrum since moving to the club almost four years ago, recording 59 assists in 205 appearances since joining the Red Devils.
Before this weekend's fixtures, the captain had the second-highest expected assisted goals tally in the Premier League behind Liverpool star Mohamed Salah with 4.9.
Compared to all other number 10s in Europe's top five leagues over the past calendar year, Bruno is in the top 15% for assists per 90, the top 1% for expected assists per 90 and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
However, United's skipper has actually underperformed his 0.37 expected assisted goals per 90 by registering just 0.26 assists per 90. The underperformance comes as a result of his strikers not being able to convert the opportunities that he creates. As a result, that man Guirassy could well be perfect for a creative talent such as Fernandes.
Both Hojlund and Martial have a higher xG per 90 rate than goals per 90 in the Premier League as the duo have struggled for consistency while leading the line. Meanwhile, Guirassy has scored 0.59 goals per 90 from an xG of 0.57 per 90 in the Bundesliga.
Additionally, Fernandes is whipping 6.27 crosses into the penalty area per 90 and needs a centre-forward who can be dangerous in the air to get on the end of these balls.
Guirassy is winning 3.1 aerial duels per 90 this term and 57.4% of his total duels in the air. The duo could complement each other very nicely in the final third should Man United decide to activate Guirassy's modest release clause.