With Premier League action now at a halt ahead of this weekend's FA Cup third-round fixtures, Manchester United can take stock of their position in the top-flight table, following what has been a truly wretched first half of the season.
While the Red Devils do find themselves above both Newcastle United and Chelsea, they are currently languishing in eighth place and nine points off the top four, with bitter rivals Liverpool also now 14 points ahead at the summit.
Having also crashed out meekly in both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, there is a sense that the season is already over for those at Old Trafford, with supporters no doubt now looking ahead to the summer and the chance to start afresh under the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe regime.
Man Utd's £26m-rated January target could be as "frustrating" as Antony
The Red Devils are in need of attacking reinforcements in January, yet the club must not give in to desperation…
ByRobbie WallsJan 2, 2024
It is hard to see where Erik ten Hag's men can gain a lift from heading into the remainder of the campaign, although one source of inspiration may be the January transfer window, amid the hope of strengthening their ranks in key areas.
It is the forward line, in particular, that is in need of surgery, with only Burnley and Sheffield United having scored fewer goals across the entire division – grim reading indeed.
While Alejandro Garnacho – who has three goals and assists from his last three league games – is showing signs of life, the teenage Argentine could well do with some help, hence the club's apparent interest in PSV Eindhoven sensation, Johan Bakayoko.
Man Utd transfer news – Johan Bakayoko
As per a report from Sport1 journalist Christopher Michel on Boxing Day, United are believed to "have their eye on" the promising Belgian winger, with the 20-year-old having caught the attention following a sparkling start to the season in the Netherlands for the runaway Eredivisie leaders.
According to Michel, the nine-cap international is potentially set to fetch a fee of around €40m (£34m) if he is to depart this month, with the youngster potentially set to follow in the footsteps of PSV alumni, Noni Madueke and Cody Gakpo in moving from the Dutch side to the Premier League.
The Red Devils were notably interested in Gakpo prior to his move to Liverpool this time last year and with the Anfield side also among those said to be interested in Bakayoko, former Ajax boss Ten Hag must not miss out once again.
Johan Bakayoko's style of play
There's no denying that United's frontline has massively underperformed so far in 2023/24, with the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Anthony Martial netting just one goal apiece in the league, while £86m flop, Antony, has failed to register a single goal or assist in all competitions.
The latter man has been a regular pick under Ten Hag since arriving from Ajax back in the summer of 2022, yet there has been little to justify that consistent selection, hence the need to acquire a suitable replacement on the right flank as a matter of urgency.
That is where Bakayoko comes in, with the Holland-based dynamo also a left-footed asset who typically operates on the right wing, having been tearing it up for PSV of late in that role.
While there may be fears that such a signing could merely be a repeat of the capture of Antony – who previously thrived in Amsterdam with 46 goals and assists in 82 games at the Johan Cruyff Arena – the Belgian seemingly has far more strings to his bow, having been dubbed an "absolute handful for defenders" by presenter, Jack Collins.
As Collins also noted, the wideman is "direct" and "dribbly", while also showing "elements of Luis Diaz", indicating the type of havoc he can wreak on Premier League defences with his "electric" pace and dynamism, as highlighted by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Unlike the "one-trick pony" that is Antony, Bakayoko has that innate unpredictability to be able to beat his man with a piece of trickery or breathtaking speed, illustrated by the fact that he ranks in the top 1% among his peers in leagues comparable to the Eredivisie for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons – at an average of 7.52 and 3.74 per 90, respectively.
United's mercurial Brazilian, by contrast, averages just 4.10 and 1.74 for those same two metrics, further proof of what a timely replacement the PSV ace could be in that wide right berth.
Johan Bakayoko's season by numbers
Despite scoring against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, Marcus Rashford has looked a shell of the player who netted 30 goals in all competitions last season, having now scored just three goals across all fronts this time around.
As such, the Englishman's starting berth on the left has firmly come under threat due to the presence of Garnacho, with the 19-year-old only heightening the excitement around him after scoring that overhead kick at Goodison Park back in late November.
While the Madrid-born starlet did net twice against Aston Villa while operating from the right, it appears to be the left flank where his long-term future lies, opening up the possibility for Bakayoko to cement a place for himself on the opposite side.
Having two such young, dynamic options from the flanks would be truly exciting indeed for Ten Hag and co, with Bakayoko, in particular, having sparkled this season with four goals and 13 assists in just 27 games in all competitions.
That latter tally of assists showcases why he can be the man to provide quality service to the likes of Hojlund and Martial in the final third, with Garnacho, by contrast, perhaps having that more ruthless, single-minded nature to go for goal himself.
74 minutes played
47 touches
3 key passes
5/5 successful dribbles
92% pass accuracy rate
1 'big chance' created
7/8 ground duels won
7.9 match rating
Stats via Sofascore
That contrast of qualities should complement each other nicely, with Bakayoko – who now has 29 goals and assists to his name in just 64 senior games for his current side – perhaps the positive lift that United are craving.
A player who may not break the bank – if that £34m fee is to prove accurate – and can prove a long-term partner to Garnacho at the Theatre of Dreams, the question should be when are the Red Devils going to get a deal done, rather than if.