Manchester United opened their transfer window by signing Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna. After their first two games of the season, calls from the media have grown loud again that Manchester United needs a proven goal scorer.
The Red Devils already have the goal scorer in their squad. Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund is more than able to carry the burden of leading the line for Manchester United.
In this article, the argument is made as to why Manchester United does not need a proven goal scorer and should focus their attention on the one they already have.
Hojlund scored 16 goals for Manchester United last season. While he took the Champions League by storm, scoring five goals in six games, his first goal in the Premier League had to wait till December. All in all, he scored 10 Premier League goals, five Champions League goals and one goal in the FA Cup.
These numbers may appear underwhelming but on a deeper look, they match well with some of the Red Devils greats. Wayne Rooney scored 11 Premier League goals in his first season for Manchester United. In Rooney’s first season at Manchester United, he scored 17 goals in all competitions. Mexican striker Javier Hernandez “Chicharito” scored 19 goals for the Red Devils in his first season. Dimitar Berbatov scored 14 goals in his first season at Manchester United.
Another great Premier League striker, Robin Van Persie, scored 10 and 11 goals with Arsenal in his first two seasons.
Rooney had two years of Premier League experience when joining Manchester United. Chicharito has been playing first-team football for four years before joining the Red Devils.
Berbatov was a known commodity when he joined United after some great seasons at Spurs. Van Persie came to Arsenal as a young striker and it took him three seasons to reach his level.
While 10 Premier League goals may be underwhelming, all the above players came into better teams. They also had more experience in top level football. Underlying numbers prove that The Dane’s finishing is elite.
Hojlund scored 10 goals from an XG of 8.41. His goals scored put him in the 90th percentile of the Premier League. His Xg put him in the 85th percentile. He was in the 90th percentile for shot conversion rate, showing a good nose for goal.
In his only season at Atlanta, he scored nine goals from 7.41 XG. His goals scored put him in the 95th percentile of Serie A. His Xg was in the 98th percentile. He was in the 86th percentile for shot conversion rate in his only season at Serie A.
Elite strikers are known to overperform their XG. Looking at other “elite” Premier League strikers, Erling Haaland scored 27 goals from 25.13 XG. Dominic Solanke scored 19 goals from 17.77 XG. Darwin Nunez scored 11 goals from 14.86 XG. Mohamed Salah scored 18 goals from 18.82 XG. Ollie Watkins scored 19 goals from 18.87 XG. Alexander Isak scored 21 goals from 17.79 XG.
The common theme between all these “elite” strikers is that their teams create tons of chances for them. The other common theme is that they overperform their XG, although not by big margins. Barring Isak, they all over performed their Xg by the same average as Hojlund did.
In his two seasons in a top-5 league, Hojlund overperformed his XG, showing a striker with a nose for goal and potential for elite finishing.
In Hojlund, the Red Devil’s have a 30-goal per season striker. The Danish Striker overperforming his XG has been a common theme in his short career. He is still 21 and is not even close to entering his peak.
Manchester United has to create enough chances for Hojlund to finish. When he is playing, they don’t have a problem in finishing their chances, the problem is creating those chances for him in the first place.
Manchester United does not need to search the market for an elite goalkeeper; they already have one. It is just about how they best use him and play to his strengths.
