5 strikers Manchester United could target in January to replace or push Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku is having a hard time at Manchester United. While it is too soon to rule him out, it is clear that the Red Devils cannot rely on him to lead the line and take the responsibility of scoring goals right now. The Belgian has improved the other aspects of his game, however, his lack of goals have hurt United tremendously so far. Lukaku has scored just 4 goals in 10 games so far in the Premier League and has 4 goals in 14 games in all competitions. His replacements have not worked - Sanchez has looked lively as a Number 9 recently, but has not been able to score, while both Rashford and Martial have been ineffective through the middle.
With both Mourinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirming that the Swedish striker shall not return to Manchester United on loan, the Red Devils are desperately short in the goal scoring department. The recent rise of Martial has been reassuring, but United still need someone to be the focal point of attack. In the Premier League, United have scored just 19 goals, compared to City's 33 and Chelsea's 27. One can only imagine how far United could have gone with an in-form striker in their ranks.
As such, Mourinho will probably be coaxing his Board for the funds to get him a proven goal scorer in January and he needs to look no further than these 5 men. With the right mix of technique, speed and an eye for the goal, these 5 players could replace Lukaku, or at least give him some competition and power United's season back on track.
#5 Cristhian Stuani (Uruguay, Girona FC)
Goals scored this season - 8
The Uruguayan striker is the only player in this list with experience in playing in English conditions. Stuani played for Middlesbrough in the Championship in 2015/16 season, where he scored 11 goals from 39 games, including 7 from 35 games in the Championship, earning them promotion to the Premier League. In the following season, he could manage just 5 goals in 28 games in all competitions. Last season, he moved back to La Liga, joining Girona and had an immediate effect, scoring 21 goals from 33 games. This season, the striker already has 8 goals from 9 games in La Liga.
Stuani is clever with his feet and knows his way to the goal very well. He is blessed with a good left foot and is also opportunistic with his movements. His experience will be an added bonus for Manchester United. However, his age - he is already 32, will be a constraint for the Premier League side. Stuani is nursing an adductor problem at the moment, which could also be a concern. The striker is currently valued at £9m and as such, could be a useful back up for Lukaku until he regains his form.