SUMMARY
- Manchester United legend Louis Saha names Karim Benzema as the club's dream signing.
- Rasmus Hojlund has struggled to settle in the Premier League, scoring only one goal so far.
Manchester United have struggled to replicate their form from the golden days and it has been quite evident why. The frequent changes in the managerial seat at Old Trafford have not done any favors for the club’s success. The last time the Red Devils lifted the Premier League trophy was in 2013, a decade ago. Trophies have also been hard to come by, although Erik ten Hag led them to a Carabao Cup win in 2023.
One of United’s biggest problems has been their frontline. Despite signing the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Antony, and Jadon Sancho, the club has struggled to find the back of the net regularly. Since Cristiano Ronaldo‘s sour departure at the end of 2022, United has not found a natural goalscorer. That was the expectation for Hojlund, who has just scored 6 goals in 23 games for the club.
Louis Saha, a former player who used to fire on all cylinders for the club, has weighed in on United’s striker situation. He said to BettingOdds.com, “He will shake up the United frontline and that’s what they need. He will definitely score goals and he will link up the play a lot better. It’s just a dream, but Karim is still a very professional guy, he’s the type of striker that Hojlund will learn from, but that’s just a fantasy.”
🚨🚨🎙️| Louis Saha suggests Manchester United should sign Karim Benzema:
“Karim Benzema will shake up the #mufc frontline, and that’s what they need.” pic.twitter.com/cOEHzHxBgZ
— centredevils. (@centredevils) January 5, 2024
Karim Benzema has not had the start he envisioned to have in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Ittihad recently lost 5-2 to Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, which seemingly was the breaking point for the Frenchman. The former Real Madrid no.9 has left Jeddah and his current status remains unknown.
Benzema has also deactivated his Instagram account after witnessing the backlash from fans since the loss to Al-Nassr. Many have had a go at him for his on-field performances, where he has scored only 12 goals in 20 games for the club. Although these are nowhere near the expectations he set for himself, Benzema would still be a dream signing for United.
As Saha mentions, Hojlund could surely benefit from having a veteran striker to learn from. His positioning has been decent at times, but he has not been able to convert his chances and demand more from his teammates at United. With a legend like Benzema by his side, Hojlund’s off-the-ball movement and behavior could improve as well.
Louis Saha gets brutally honest about Rasmus Hojlund’s time at Manchester United
Rasmus Hojlund recently scored his first Premier League for the club, in a sensational comeback vs Aston Villa. The Red Devils were 2-0 down before Alejandro Garnacho brought them back into the game with a brace. Hojlund managed to score the winner in the 82nd minute after the ball landed on his feet from a corner.
Saha has admitted that Hojlund is a great striker, but he has also mentioned what the Dane is missing on the field. He said, “It’s the right club for him, but it’s unfair to give him the responsibility of the number nine position alone without an experienced player around him. You can have really talented wingers or offensive midfielders, but being a striker is a different mentality.”
“You need someone to show you runs in the box and I don’t think he can see them, the Premier League is a tough league for stuff like that. I played with Van Nistelrooy and Solskjaer. I had the chance to look at those legends and learn my runs and skills from them,” he added
As Saha mentions, Hojlund could well and truly benefit from a striker who excels at moving constantly when he doesn’t have the ball. Edinson Cavani was a master at this, it was one of his strengths that helped him bag more than 350 career goals.
Rasmus Hojlund has often missed an easy tap-in within just a fraction of inches, which means he could’ve found the back of the net had he gotten there earlier. It might be harsh to expect this from a player who has little to no experience at the top, but that’s where United need to improve. An experienced striker to lead the line would surely help seal United and Hojlund’s future.