Once again, Manchester United have given us an effort and performance that makes us want to talk about anything else but the match itself. A 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday, reminds of us how things will likely get worse with this team before they get better. Maybe they can strengthen the side before the January transfer window closes tomorrow? The club is hoping to sign either Christopher Nkunku and Mathys Rel before the window shuts.
Manchester United Transfer Talk Part 1 Manchester United Transfer Talk Part 2
Both of their recent striker signings, Rasmus Hojlund and Josh Zirkzee, have been total flops.
The duo have been so bad that manager Ruben Amorim even started defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo at center forward, in the home loss to Crystal Palace today.
Young winger Amad Diallo is the man who is banging in the goals for them. And no one else has been a real consistent scorer for them.
United have a lot of issues, but scoring goals is the biggest one. And it’s hard to say which striker is more likely to be acquired, Nkunku or Tel, if either of them are to move at all.
Here is the latest from transfer guru Ben Jacobs:
Keep an eye on Christopher Nkunku if Manchester United don’t land Mathys Tel. Efforts today to progress things with Bayern, but still a chance #MUFC make an approach for Nkunku.
Chelsea value Nkunku at £60m+. Feeling in the past week has been Joao Felix might leave and Nkunku… pic.twitter.com/btzpWlWng1
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) February 2, 2025
Nkunku is a misfit at Chelsea, but his inevitably high price tag means that closing a deal for him won’t be easy. Shifting gears to Tel, ESPN reports that he wants the move to United, having rejected a move to Tottenham this weekend.
However, the talks aren’t exactly at a very advanced stage right now, and that’s concerning, given how the clock is ticking on the window shutting.
Antony has already left on loan to Real Betis while Marcus Rashford could be headed to Aston Villa. So United will need to reinforce the final third before the window shuts.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.