After winning the Carabao Cup and earning a third-place Premier League finish last season, Manchester United were expected to progress further this campaign.
Instead, they have been woeful and sit eighth in the table, with Erik ten Hag struggling to inspire his squad.
All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024
With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.
ByLuke RandallFeb 1, 2024
With that in mind, the Red Devils will look to strengthen their squad in January with the hopes of fixing their attacking issue, which has seen only two teams score fewer in the top flight – Burnley and Sheffield United.
Man Utd transfers latest – Timo Werner
According to a report from the Mirror earlier this week, Man United have set their sights on Timo Werner this January, with the German recognised as a key target.
Despite only being worth €30m (£26m), according to CIES Football Observatory, the move would be a loan deal, with Werner viewed as a temporary fix to a long-term issue.
RB Leipzig will allow the German to leave this winter, as he has failed to secure a spot in the starting XI so far this season.
Timo Werner’s style of play
Ex-Chelsea forward Werner has endured a tough spell this season, highlighted by the fact he’s started just two Bundesliga games all season and has been an unused substitute in Leipzig's last three league games. The signings of Lois Openda, Benjamin Sesko, and Xavi Simons have pushed the German further down the pecking order this campaign.
If United were to sign the Bundesliga striker, they could be getting their own version of Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, as according to Tony Cascarino of talkSPORT, the Uruguayan reminds him of Werner, who apparently "couldn't buy a goal" during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Nonetheless, the few statistics below from the last year do suggest that Cascarino's judgement may have been accurate.
xG
0.41
0.70
Goals
0.37
0.46
Shots total
2.44
4.18
Goals/shot
0.13
0.10
Both players aren’t exactly the most composed finishers, as shown by the stats above, but they have elite movement to get into goal-scoring positions. That is also highlighted by the underperformance of xG, it proves that the German and Nunez are both wasteful in front of goal. Given that United have the joint third-worst attack in the Premier League, they could do with a striker who is clinical, not someone who could squander the only opportunity they get each game.
With Nunez – who has netted just five league goals this season – hardly setting the world alight at Anfield, for United to sign their own version of the former Benfica man would be a headscratcher, particularly with Werner scoring just ten league goals during his spell with the Blues.
Furthermore, the Champions League winner is rather injury-prone and has already suffered two separate setbacks this season, ultimately making him miss seven matches. It would take a while for him to get up to speed due to his time out, and Ten Hag needs reliability after an injury-disrupted few months.
2023/24
Adductor pain
5
2023/24
Back problems
2
2022/23
Syndesmotic ligament tear
7
2021/22
Strain
7
Overall, Werner’s time at Chelsea came to an end with a lack of playing time being one of the reasons for his departure, and he will leave Leipzig once again in search of game time.
However, even though United have been poor in attack, it is difficult to see Werner taking on a constant starting XI role with the talent in Ten Hag’s side. The move for the German is simply the best that United can get, rather than what they need.
