For the 13th time in the Premier League this season, Manchester United played a 90-minute match without a scoresheet, falling into a narrow 1-0 loss to the Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.
Pablo Saravia’s 77-minute free-kick was a rare moment of quality in largely lifeless events at Old Trafford, but the hosts will feel they should leave all three points.
In fact, Rasmus Hojlund has suffered close to the end of Alejandro Garnacho’s Driven Cross, but Bruno Fernandez and Mason Mount have produced whimsical attempts after being cleverly chosen by the Argentine winger.
Outside the bootcloth from Christian Eriksen, it was not able to capitalize on the mount. The £55 million British had only scored once since returning in the summer of 2023.
Hojlund has also scored only three league goals in 2024/25 so far.
After seeing Viktor Gyoker dazzle under his watch, the Portuguese coach is now desperately in need of a new offensive figure.
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All current talks center around United’s apparent interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman Matthew Scuña, as the club is likely to trigger a Brazilian £62.5m release clause amid positive talks about his potential contract in Manchester.
The 14-goal marksman may not be the only Premier League talent to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, but the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones outlined the close agreement on Cunha.
In fact, according to Jones, it was Bournemouth man Antoine Semegno who made the list of candidates for Ineos, and the Red Devils have already discussed signing ahead of Ghana.
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This follows an earlier report that outlined United actually being the frontline in the 25-year-old signing race, despite not yet seeing whether Amorim and Co are willing to match Cherry’s £70 million price tag.
A versatile asset that can work in either side or central roles, Semeño can represent the perfect addition to strengthening Amorim’s line of advancement, and the 40-year-old could turn him into a new Geeker-esque talisman.
Why is Man Utd targeting Amorim’s new Gyoker?
As outlined by journalist Mark Ogden, from selling for just £1 million in 2021 by then-Brighton and Hove Albion director Dan Ashworth, to standing on Aloft as “the hottest striker in Europe,” that was a noticeable rise to the sense of sports CP these days.
In fact, the 6-foot-2 Swedes were unable to actually make league appearances for the Seagulls, but they endured a handful of epic loan spells away from AMEX.
That steady rise really sparked, following a permanent switch to Coventry at the end of that campaign, as he scored 38 championships in the next two seasons.
Since moving to Lisbon in 2023 on a £17 million deal, the 26-year-old has surged even higher, scoring 90 goals in just 96 games.
The journey from EFL fighter to elite level monsters is certainly something Semenyo knows well, with the London-born Ace starting with a book from Bristol City, with loan moves in Bath City, Newport County, Sunderland and more.
The 6-foot-1 star failed to remember in that limp foot at the Stadium of Light, but in reality he only scored 21 times in 121 games at Ashtongate, though he plundered 21 more assists.
But like Gyoker, Semenyo stepped up from the second tier to truly thrive, scoring 16 Premier League goals since its launch in 2023/24, and contributing to eight more assists.
Like Gyokereres, what stands out about talent in demand is his powerful presence in the last third, sometimes welcomed by journalist Ed Aarons as “lol playable.”
Semenyo vs Gyoker -22/23 Champion Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
Condition (per 90) | Semeño | gyoker |
Non-penalty goals | 0.43 | 0.40 |
assist | 0.14 | 0.22 |
Shot creation action | 1.87 | 4.27 |
Pass completed | 65.6 | 67.3% |
Progressive Pass | 1.87 | 2.01 |
Progressive Carry | 2.23 | 4.43 |
A successful take-on | 1.59 | 2.15 |
Touch the opposition box | 6.27 | 7.16 |
A duel won | 3.24 | 1.86 |
Statistics via FBREF | ||
Interestingly, the pair were considered similar players during the Championship 2022/23 season, according to FBREF, with Semenyo being mostly operating in a central role at the time.
That portrait portends a good for the impact the two-foot Ghanaian star can make under Amorim, with the 70 million pound man representing the type of ready-made Premier League talent that can bring new life to United’s non-flammable attacking units.
Especially after years of scrutiny of Eredivisy for a new signature, it may be time to get a little closer to the house now…
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