Dream Rashford upgrade: Man Utd plotting to sign £80k-p/w star after Dorgu

Manchester United are a matter of hours away from completing their first signing of the January transfer window. Patrick Dorgu is set to sign for the Red Devils, according to Fabrizio Romano – who has said the famous “here we go” catchphrase, unofficially confirming the transfer will go ahead.

Romano confirmed he will cost the Red Devils £25m with a further £4m in add-ons. He is the first signing of the Ruben Amorim era, and brings great quality to the United squad. He already has three goals and one assist in a struggling Lecce side this season.

Although there is a matter of days left in the transfer window, Dorgu might not be the only player United sign before the deadline on Monday. They have recently been linked with a new attacker.

United’s attacking target

The player in question here is Bayern Munich and French attacker Mathys Tel. The 19-year-old has simply not had the playing time he hoped for under Vincent Kompany at the German outfit, and seems likely to depart the club this winter. Bayern director Max Eberl said the club “will assess all the options and decide what to do”.

Well, according to highly reputable journalist David Ornstein, United are believed to be ‘interested in signing’ the winger if he is allowed to leave the Bundesliga giants before the window slams shut.

It seems like United are most open to a loan deal, although they are not the only Premier League side considering a move for the Frenchman. Romano confirmed that London sides Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also considering a permanent move for the attacker.

Why Tel would be a good signing

It has really not been the season Tel might have imagined at Bayern in 2024/25. Despite having “pure talent”, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he has played just 14 times across all competitions. The 458 minutes he has chalked up equate to just five full 90 minute games.

However, last season the youngster showed exactly what he can do, even when he is given limited opportunities. He played 40 times, scoring 10 goals and grabbing six assists, but the 1406 minutes are the equivalent of 15 full games.

He also got on the scoresheet in Bayern’s 4-3 win against United at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League.

Should the Red Devils bring Tel into the club, he could be the perfect person to replace Marcus Rashford. The Englishman seems like he will depart Old Trafford after spending his entire career at the club. A report from the Mail a few days ago linked Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund to the winger, but they could be tough deals to do.

Although it has been a dismal season for the United number ten, he has an exceptional record for his boyhood club. The 27-year-old has scored 138 goals and has 63 assists in 426 games for United, a stellar return.

With that being said, he was outperformed by Tel last season, where he managed eight goals and five assists in all competitions. In fact, the Frenchman’s stats on FBref from the 2023/24 campaign suggest he might even be an upgrade on the Englishman.

Creatively, the Bayern number 39 seems far superior. Last term, Tel averaged 1.03 key passes and 1.11 goal-creating actions to Rashford’s 0.91 key passes and 0.48 goal-creating actions each game. Tel also has greater value to his shots, with 0.39 goals per shot on target compared to the United star’s 0.26 goals per shot on target per 90 minutes.

Tel vs. Rashford key stats 2023/24 compared
Stat (per 90)	Tel	Rashford
Key passes	1.03	0.91
Goal-creating actions	1.11	0.48
Goals per shot on target	0.39	0.26
Progressive carries	3.85	3.77
Take-ons completed	3.16	1.9
Stats from FBref

If Rashford does end up leaving Old Trafford this month, Tel, who reportedly earns £80k-per-week, could be the man to replace him. He could certainly be considered an upgrade when looking at the stats. He is a direct, tricky goalscorer who could be Amorim’s dream attacker.