MANCHESTER UNITED look set to finally land their No.1 striker target Rasmus Hojlund.
The Red Devils have reached a £72million deal to land the 20-year-old Atalanta ace.
Manchester United have agreed a £72m deal to sign Rasmus Hojlund
The most likely fit into Erik ten Hag’s system
Hojlund’s stats last season
United will pay £64m upfront, with a further £8m coming in add-ons as Hojlund pens a five-year deal after saying goodbye to team-mates.
Erik ten Hag has been very open about his desire to land a new striker, with only Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes breɑking the 10-goal mark among the squad last season.
And following the agreement struck between the two sides, the Dutchman can get to planning how Hojlund will fit into his team.
The most obvious answer would be for the forward – dubbed the Danish Erling Haaland – to fit in at the tip of United’s ɑttack.
Hojlund fits in perfectly at No. 9 in Ten Hag’s typical 4-3-3 configuration, which is expected to be used once more.
Rashford, who has stated that the left wing is his preferred position, and one of Antony or Jadon Sancho on the right wing would support him in this.
On most gamedays, Mason Mount and Casemiro would join new club captain Fernandes in midfield.
The remainder of Ten Hag’s preferred back line from last season will remain the same with Andre Onana at the center of the defense.
United may end up playing a two-striker system
This would therefore see Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane at CB with Luke Shaw at left-back – with right-back being the one area where Ten Hag can toss up his options from game to game.
Of course, the former Ajax manager is adaptable with his strategies and might even go to a two-striker diamond midfield against certain opposition, again with Hojlund and Rashford at the helm.
The other option is for United to use a three-at-the-back formation with bombing wing-backs supporting a deɑdly ɑttacking trident.
The additions of Mount and Onana to the team’s spine will strengthen United as well.
A transfer for Moroccan World Cup standout Sofyan Amrabat, though, has also been rᴜmored.
While a new formation could beckon next season