Following the conclusion of the World Cup group stages on Friday evening, not many people would have anticipated seeing Marcus Rashford as one of the leading contenders for the Golden Boot.
Despite starting just one of England's three group matches, the Manchester United forward has scored three goals so far in Qatar, finding himself joint-top of the scoring charts, alongside the likes of France's Kylian Mbappe and Alvaro Morata of Spain. Rashford stepped off the bench to score England's fifth goal in their 6-2 win over Iran just under a fortnight ago before scoring an excellent brace to put Wales to the sword on Tuesday.
His exploits against Wales have put him in a strong position to start England's last-16 clash with Senegal at the Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday evening - and rightfully so. He has been revitalised by United manager Erik ten Hag over the last few months, meaning he has transferred his encouraging club form onto the international stage.
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But while it is fantastic for both United and England fans to see a rejuvenated, happy and confident Rashford firing on all cylinders in Qatar, putting himself in the conversation for the Golden Boot, it is important to remember that the United academy graduate is not going to offer an automatic fix to the Reds' need for goals after the World Cup. Despite heading into the current pause in a healthy position, United have struggled for goals so far this season, scoring just 20 in the Premier League.
The Reds are the lowest scorers currently in the top seven and desperately need to strengthen their attacking options in the January transfer window, not least after Cristiano Ronaldo's unsurprising departure in the aftermath of his explosive interview with Piers Morgan last month. With Anthony Martial proving fragile in relation to his fitness and Rashford's best showings coming from the left wing, United need to add an out-and-out No.9 to their ranks in January.
However, with the January window difficult to navigate, such is the level of inflated prices and the clamour for players mid-season, it is going to be hard for United to source the right type of player at the right price, especially when it comes to finding a goalscorer. They cost the big bucks and elite-level strikers are hard to come by at the best of times, let alone mid-season.
Currently, you would consider the likes of Erling Haaland, Karim Benzema, Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski as the world's best strikers. They are the cream of the crop and the chances of any of them rocking up at Old Trafford in January are non-existent.
It is no secret that United need to add a new striker to their ranks next year, whether it be in January or in the summer, and PSV Eindhoven's Cody Gakpo, who has also scored three goals at the World Cup so far, and Victor Osimhen of Napoli are two names gathering interest. Gakpo, however, despite operating as a central striker for the Netherlands in Qatar, is not an out-and-out No.9, even if his record in front of goal this season says otherwise.
He has played all of his football for PSV this season on the left wing, even though it has not stopped him from being devastating in the final third. With respect, the Premier League is a huge step-up from the Eredivisie and few players that have found the net regularly in the Netherlands have replicated similar form in England.
Former United striker Robin van Persie, speaking earlier this season, said of Gakpo: "He is not really an out-and-out striker; he can play as a No.10, on the [left] wing, as a false striker or on the right-wing. He can play in those four positions in the front."
Although he might not be an out-and-out striker, a quick glance at the World Cup top scorers chart suggests that it might not matter, although it is difficult to draw comparisons between club and international football. Of the five players currently tied on three goals, only Enner Valencia and Morata are out-and-out strikers. Both Mbappe and Rasford play out wide for their countries and Gakpo plays out wide for his club.
Therefore, you might question whether trademark No.9s are becoming a thing of the past. Wherever a player plays across the forward line nowadays - wide or centrally - they are expected to chip in with goals, meaning, at United, Rashford and Antony are both expected to be regular sources.
But given United's struggles for goals this term, it means they have a difficult decision to make. An elite-level striker would set them back millions of pounds, meaning they could well be better investing in Gakpo and hoping that he could transpire into a striker at club level and deliver the goods.
A lack of world-class out-and-out strikers, however, leaves United with a transfer query to try and solve.
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