Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting Set for Manchester United Loan Move from Bayern Munich until Season’s End.
Despite a £72m investment in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta BC last summer,
Manchester United‘s pursuit of attacking reinforcements persists.
After unsuccessful pursuits of Bayern’s Harry Kane and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, the Red Devils now aim to secure Choupo-Moting, as Hojlund has faced challenges adapting to the Premier League in his initial months at the club.
Scoring five goals during Manchester United‘s unsuccessful Champions League group stage, Hojlund endured a 14-game goalless streak in the Premier League before finally scoring in a 3-2 victory against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
Hojlund, tallying six goals in total across competitions, shares the top scorer position at Man United with Scott McTominay.
In contrast, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, and Antony, the other attacking choices, have collectively netted only five goals.
Martial is also unlikely to stay beyond the end of his contract, which expires at the end of the campaign, and Man United are searching for an experienced option to ease the burden on Hojlund’s 20-year-old shoulders.
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A move for Porto’s Mehdi Taremi was initially mooted, but Inter Milan are now said to be at the head of the queue for the Iran international, forcing Man United to scope out alternative attackers.
Now, German outlet Bild – via the Manchester Evening News – states that Bayern veteran Choupo-Moting has given,
the green light to a six-month loan deal at Old Trafford, having struggled to hit his previous heights in Bavaria this season.
The 34-year-old unexpectedly stepped up in the absence of Barcelona-bound Robert Lewandowski in the 2022-23 season,
scoring 17 goals in 30 appearances in all tournaments to earn himself a new one-year deal.
However, with Kane making a blistering start to life at the Allianz Arena, Choupo-Moting’s powers have waned,
with the Cameroon international boasting just three goals from 19 appearances, starting a mere three Bundesliga matches.
Bayern Munich would likely sanction Choupo-Moting’s exit for the second half of the new term, as Thomas Tuchel can also call upon talented teenager Mathys Tel to cover for Kane should the England captain sustain an injury in the coming months.
Choupo-Moting is no stranger to Premier League football, having represented Stoke City during the 2017-18 campaign,
registering five goals and five assists in 30 games during his sole season in England’s top flight.
The 6ft 3in striker earned a surprise free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain after his spell at Stoke came to an end,
but he managed just nine goals in 51 games for the French champions before reviving his career at Bayern.
Man United are expected to focus on cut-price and loan deals throughout the January transfer window due to Financial Fair Play regulations, and outgoings should also take precedence over incomings.
The Red Devils have already loaned Donny van de Beek out to Eintracht Frankfurt for the remainder of the season,
and talks to send the exiled Jadon Sancho back to Borussia Dortmund are believed to be heading in the right direction.
