The turnover of forwards in the Manchester United team over the past few years has been something to behold.
From the days of Romelu Lukaku leading the line, as recently as spring 2019 (he's had three big transfers since), to the 2020 era of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood, United have almost come full circle as 2023 approaches. Erik ten Hag is favouring Rashford and Martial, like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did, with neither of 2021's marquee additions — Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho — in the first choice attacking trio as things stand.
A lot can change and a lot of money can be spent quickly in the attacking department, with 2022 addition Antony the latest to command a record fee for a United forward signing. The Brazilian has hit the ground running to earn his place, but don't be surprised if the wheels keep turning.
READ MORE: Marcus Rashford is proving Antony right about Ten Hag at Man United
It's only a few months since Anthony Elanga was a mainstay of the United frontline towards the end of last season, and one of the more reliable performers at that. The Swedish international scored in United's best two results under ex interim boss Ralf Rangnick, successive games against Leeds (a 4-2 away win) and Atletico Madrid (a creditable 1-1 away draw).
Whether Rangnick's use of Elanga said more about the performance of other United forwards last season, rather than the 20-year-old's own ability, is worthy of debate. Martial had strayed so much off track last season that he was loaned out to Sevilla, while Rashford misfired badly and was deservedly benched.
Rangnick wasn't getting a tune from his United squad, bar a couple of exceptions. Elanga was one of those.
"Apart from his name, of course, I had heard about his name before but not as a player because he didn't play for Manchester United," Rangnick said of Elanga after the Atletico game. "The first training session the night before the Crystal Palace game, he was the player with the best training performance.
"I asked my staff members about him and found out he had almost already decided to leave the club on loan. So a week after the Palace game I said, listen, I want you stay and see how you are doing in the training games until the end of the closure of the transfer window."
It's credit to Ten Hag, rather than a slight on Elanga (or Rangnick) that he's been used far less often so far this season. On ability, Rashford, Martial and Sancho are certainly more dangerous forwards, while Ronaldo has proven he's still got something to offer.
Ten Hag is gradually getting his forward line in order, to the point where Elanga would be grateful of a run-out in in the upcoming Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia on Thursday night. He might not even get that, depending how much the manager values the occasion as an exercise to get his first choice attackers into form.
It may turn out that Elanga does, a year later than planned, head out on loan in January. In December of last year he signed a new contract to keep him at United until June 2026. He's still 20 and his performances last season even earned him his own chant from the Stretford Enders, to the tune of 90s dance anthem 'Rhythm is a Dancer'.
Elanga is still only 20 and showed enough under Rangnick to prove he's got a long-term United future. He just needs to keep the rhythm of his career going.
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