Having failed to replace Belgian star Romelu Lukaku in the summer, Manchester United are now inevitably weak in attack, thanks to injuries to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
So it does not come as a surprise that The Red Devils will dip in the transfer market in January to try and strengthen this area of the squad. And reports from Independent now claim that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified Croatian star Mario Mandzukic as the right fit for his squad.
The story claims that the manager has met with the United hierarchy who are now convinced that the 33-year old is the perfect solution to the issues at Old Trafford.
But is Mandzukic the man United need?
Mandzukic and His Records
Having spent productive years in Croatia, Germany, Spain and Italy, Mandzukic has tasted success with most clubs he has played for.
He has won two Bundesliga titles, four Serie A titles and a Champions League title in his prime and is now a backup striker for Juventus.
He has a couple of years left on his current deal in Italy but has not made a single appearance for Maurizio Sarri’s men, which will make it easy for United to lure him to England.
At 33, Mandzukic is an experienced striker, who often scores important goals in crunch games.
He has registered 31 goals and 20 assists in Serie A, 53 goals and 21 assists in the Bundesliga, 33 goals and 13 assists in various European competitions and will certainly add goals to this United side.
Mandzukic is an excellent finisher, is strong with hold up play and is also happy to put in hard work, which makes him a perfect fit for Ole’s system at Old Trafford despite his age.
Last season he registered nine goals and seven assists in just 25 league games, most of which came off the bench and even at his age, will have a real impact on a struggling United squad this season.
Right Man For United?
The Red Devils will want to sign a superstar to lead the attack in the future, while Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial find some consistency.
But it will not be easy for Ole to attract the best of strikers to the club in the middle of the season, making Mandzukic probably the best stop-gap solution to their issues.
The Croatian’s contract with the Juventus runs down at the end of the next season but he is hardly an important part of Sarri’s plans, which could see him quit the club on the cheap.
He has not played in England before but has all the attributes that will make him a success in the country and at Old Trafford.
He could be an impact player from the bench and can also lead the attack when needed and is a player Ole should definitely look to sign in January.
But will he solve all the issues at the club is a question only time answer.
