It is fair to say that it has not been the start to the season that Manchester United would have hoped for, with the Red Devils currently languishing outside the top four having already crashed out of the Carabao Cup in midweek.
A notable problem among the plethora of issues facing Erik ten Hag is the lack of goals that his side have scored this term, particularly in the attacking ranks, with Marcus Rashford the only forward to have netted in the Premier League so far this term.
With that in mind – and with Anthony Martial having just a matter of months left to run on his existing deal – attention is turning toward potential striking additions that could be made in January.
Man Utd transfer news
As per a report from the Daily Mail earlier this week, the Red Devils are hoping to ease the burden on £72m summer signing, Rasmus Hojlund, by signing an experienced centre-forward in the New Year, with the likes of Porto's Mehdi Taremi and Napoli's Victor Osimhen having been under consideration in the recent past.
The piece does note that one other intriguing target is Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney, with the one-cap England international seemingly set to leave the Bees either in January or next summer.
An additional report from TEAMtalk has revealed that the 27-year-old – who is currently sidelined due to suspension following a string of betting breaches – has requested to move on in the winter, with a fee of £80m having been touted.
The stats that show why Ivan Toney would be an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund
That £80m asking price could prove a sticking point for United, although if the club can rustle up the required funds it could prove a particularly astute move, with Toney likely the Premier League-ready talent that Ten Hag is craving.
Unlike Hojlund, whose three goals for the club so far have all come in the Champions League, the former Newcastle United marksman has become a feared prospect in England's top flight, scoring 32 goals across the last two seasons combined.
That prolific record for the west Londoners would indicate that Toney is a far more proven option than his United counterpart, with the 20-year-old Dane having only scored 30 club goals at senior level to date.
In the 2022/23 campaign, for instance, while the youngster chipped in with just nine Serie A goals for Atalanta – as well as a further two assists – the Brentford ace scored 20 league goals and provided a further four assists, showcasing the difference in quality between the pair.
A notable benefit of Toney is also his likeness to a player that was a top target for Ten Hag in the summer in the form of Harry Kane, with compatriot Declan Rice having said of his talents last year:
"He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."
How Ivan Toney compares to Harry Kane
While United missed out on Kane as the England skipper moved on to Bayern Munich in the summer, the Red Devils could find a carbon copy of the ex-Tottenham Hotspur star in the form of Toney, with the pair both prolific and clinical in the final third.
What also sets the pair apart is their ability to link play and provide a creative spark when leading the line, with Kane, for instance, creating 14 'big chances' last term in the league and averaging 1.5 key passes per game, to go along with his stellar haul of 30 goals.
Toney, meanwhile, enjoyed a scarily similar record for Thomas Frank's side after creating 12 'big chances' and averaging 0.8 key passes per game, further emphasising just what a 'playmaker' he is, as Rice noted.
The likeness between the two Englishmen has also been outlined by Frank in the past, with the Danish tactician having previously stated: “They are very good finishers and take good decisions. They are both good in the link-up play, two very good players.”
Having been unable to get Kane through the door in the recent window, Ten Hag could snap up the next best thing in Toney, with such a deal likely to help ease the pressure on the undoubtedly exciting, yet raw Hojlund.