Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Talk TV’s Piers Morgan, it is looking increasingly likely that he will be leaving Old Trafford soon. After Ronaldo’s remarks, it is difficult to see how he would be accepted back into the Manchester United setup by his teammates and boss Erik Ten Hag.
With the January transfer window just around the corner, we could see Ronaldo leave the Reds sooner rather than later, possibly leaving United in pursuit of a replacement striker.
It is unusual to see marquee signings being snapped up midway through the season, and United have the added complication of needing to bring in a player who isn’t cup-tied when it comes to the Europa League.
READ MORE: Erik ten Hag has already explained why United are better off without Ronaldo
Here’s a look at some realistic prospective signings who meet these criteria:
Callum Wilson
The 30-year-old Newcastle United man appeared to be out of the picture in terms of team selection for Eddie Howe’s side when Alexander Isak was brought to the club in a deal worth £60M. Isak instantly hit the ground running and looked as though he would be one of the Premier League's finest strikers in the early stages of this season. However, an injury to the new signing brought Wilson back into the frame and the Englishman has made the most of his chance netting 6 goals in 11 Premier League fixtures.
This upturn in form has earned Wilson a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup. He could be a solid option for Manchester United too as he is a real out-and-out number nine with bags of Premier League experience and goal-scoring prowess.
Wilson turns 31 in February, so is entering the latter years of his football career which could make him a cheaper option than some other Ronaldo alternatives the Reds may be looking at. That said, Newcastle are flying, and it seems unlikely that they would be willing to part with Wilson, especially to a rival for the Champions League places.
Aleksandar Mitrovic
The Fulham man’s last full season in the Premier League may have been somewhat of a disappointment as he only managed 3 goals in 13 starts, but last season he had a record-breaking Championship season. With a ludicrous total of 44 league goals last term, he absolutely blew Ivan Toney’s record out of the water.
At 28, the Serbian is reaching the peak of his career and there are very few finishers in English football who are as good as ‘Mitro.’ Only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Leeds’ Rodrigo have a better goals per 90 minutes ratio in the Premier League this season which makes him a very attractive option.
He sits joint fourth in the Premier League goalscoring charts this campaign with 9 goals in 12 appearances. This tally could be even more impressive if the Serb hadn’t suffered injury problems this season.
Angel Correa
The Atletico Madrid striker has started just 4 La Liga matches this season, but he has still managed to score 3 goals in this short amount of time. Last season he scored 12 goals and made 5 assists in just 21 league appearances. In the 2021/22 campaign he also recorded an impressive minutes per goal ratio, scoring a goal once every 155 minutes.
Correa is perhaps a wildcard on this list but his numbers are certainly not something to be disrespected. Although he is not purely a centre forward, Correa tends to start as part of a front two with Antoine Griezmann. Alternatively, he operates in a fluid front three with both Griezmann and Alvaro Morata.
Despite appearing in the Champions League this season, Correa isn’t cup tied as Atleti were eliminated from European competition altogether and won’t be dropping into the Europa League. His La Liga expertise could come in handy if Manchester United were to sign Correa in time for the Barcelona clash in the Europa League play-off round.
Terem Moffi
At just 23 years old, Terem Moffi could be one of European football’s most sought-after strikers in the future. With just 10 goals in 13 Ligue 1 games this season, the Nigeria international has propelled Lorient up to fifth place this season. Only PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have scored more goals than Moffi in the top flight of French football this season.
Moffi has therefore scored more league goals this season than the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and even Lionel Messi. Moffi is left-footed, and at 6ft2 he is also an aerial threat. This could favour United who have lots of players with good crossing abilities.
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