Manchester United's lack of goal-scoring prowess has been a hot topic of conversation this season.
The Red Devils have only netted 24 goals in 21 matches this campaign, which has played a huge role in their current eighth position in the Premier League.
With that in mind, Erik ten Hag will look to reinforce the striker position this January by aiming to secure a short-term fix.
Man Utd's search for a new striker
According to Fabrizio Romano, Man United are interested in signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting this month.
Talks have taken place between the club and his agents, as a move could be completed this month.
The reporter took to social media to say: "Man Utd have discussed signing Eric Choupo-Moting, but no club-to-club negotiations with Bayern yet."
Why Choupo-Moting would be a good signing for Man Utd
It is well-known that United's star signing of the summer, Rasmus Hojlund, has struggled to adapt to his new surroundings and with the step up from the Serie A to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old has scored two goals all season in the league, which have both come in his last two matches. Yet, he has been firing in the Champions League with five goals, which proves he's an exceptional talent.
However, the pressure of having to perform can become overwhelming, and his winner versus Aston Villa on Boxing Day was celebrated with more relief than enjoyment. That said, Ten Hag could look to bring in an experienced striker on a short-term deal who can take some pressure off Hojlund's shoulders.
Choupo-Moting could be that individual who is currently playing second fiddle to Harry Kane at Bayern. The 34-year-old has only started three Bundesliga games all season, playing an average of 23 minutes per game.
Nevertheless, the table below proves that the ex-Stoke City player would be a good signing for Man United, based on his stats from the last year across Europe's top leagues.
Non-penalty goals
0.50
Top 17%
Shots total
3.64
Top 10%
Touches (Att pen)
6.87
Top 7%
Shot-creating actions
3.81
Top 9%
Key passes
1.49
Top 15%
Passes completed
21.86
Top 9%
Progressive passes received
7.62
Top 16%
As you can see by his non-penalty goals, shots, touches in the attacking penalty box, and progressive passes received, Choupo-Moting is the definition of a true number nine who would provide a reliable source of goals, unlike Hojlund.
The 6 foot 3 star has even been called "the best target man in the world" by his teammate Serge Gnabry, which potentially foreshadows just how large his impact could be at Old Trafford. That is supplemented by a broad range of statistics, notably the fact that he ranked within the top 17% of forwards at the World Cup in 2022 for aerial duels won.
It's also echoed by his ability to shrug off defenders when running with the ball, tackled by an opponent just 28% of the time when attempting a take-on. That puts the Cameroon international impressively within the best 2% of forwards in Europe over the last year.
The 34-year-old evidently has a completely different style of play from Hojlund, however, and he could well elevate the game of those around him with his technical ability and capability to drop deeper to get on the ball.
This would provide Ten Hag with an opportunity to have different attacking patterns, depending on the opponent and who leads the line. The fact that he ranks in the top 9% for passes completed proves that, whereas the Dane ranks in the bottom 23% in the Premier League, as per FBref.
Overall, the signing of Choupo-Moting could be an extremely smart move, and one that in the interim could well have Hojlund running scared.
