Erik ten Hag’s side is chasing a European and domestic cup treble having made astonishing progress since the Dutchman’s appointmеnt as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s permanent successor.
United’s hopes of keeping pace with Premier League leaders Arsenal and Manchester City have been undermined, however, by the lack of a prolific central striker.
Marcus Rashford has enjoyed the most productive season of his career to date, but he has operated almost exclusively in his favored position on the left wing.
United opted not to spend heavily on a direct replacemеnt for Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window, deciding instead to save the majority of their transfer funds for the summer.
Wout Weghorst was signed on loan from Burnley and although the Netherland’s international has achieved something akin to cult hero status since arriving at Old Trafford, he has scored only twice in 18 appearances.
Anthony Martial, meanwhile, has been limited to just four appearances since the turn of the year, and although Ten Hag insists he r/e/m/a/i/n/s part of his plans, a new striker has emerged as United’s transfer priority.
Asked about his future ahead of France’s upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers, the 24-year-old told L’Equipe: ‘We talk about it a lot already, but I try to be focused on my club. We continue our performances and we will see this summer. Afterward, I always dreamed of playing in big clubs.’
On his rapid progression this season, Kolo Muani, who has scored 16 goals in 35 club games, added: ‘I thought I was going to need some time to adapt, maybe a year. But everything еxploded. Either way, I’m ready for any challenge.
‘I ask the club to get me my statistics on my matches each time. I share this with my physical trainer to know what to improve.
‘I do a lot of goals and assists, but it’s not at the level where I should be. I still miss quite a bit. This is only my third (full) season as a pro.’
Man Utd’s Wout Weghorst hits back at Richard Keys and Paul Scholes over brutal criticism
Wout Weghorst maintains his constant selection and proves he is contributing to Manchester United despite facing continued criticism.
The forward made a loan switch to Old Trafford in January as the Red Devils sought reinforcemеnts in the attacking third. He’s been a regular under Erik ten Hag but, much like in his previous Premier League spell at Burnley, he’s struggled to find the net.
Nevertheless, he’s led the line for a team who have continued to impress – helping them claim their first piece of silverware in six years when they won the Carabao Cup. Weghorst has been used in a variety of positions and believes the trust shown in him is proof of his value.
The Dutchman said: “That’s a lot of matches and it shows the trust in me. It also shows that I am doing a good job for the team. That was the thing I wanted when I came here – to contribute and try and help the club to be successful to win trophies. We have one now.
“We have two more to go with the Europa League and FA Cup, and we want to get as high as possible in the table and top four for the Champions League. So it just shows me that I am being part of it. And being part of us being successful and that appreciation, that’s a good thing.”
Weghorst is not seen as a long-term fix for United, who are set to sign a No 9 in the summer with Harry Kane heavily linked. The loanee has stated his desire to secure a permanent move, but his lack of productivity in the final third has seen him hammered by some pundits.
