It certainly wasn’t perfect, but Manchester United’s latest outing at Old Trafford showed the potential this team has under Ruben Amorim’s regime, with the hosts looking truly stylish and dynamic in the final third.
With United scoring four times, Amorim can’t ask for more from his attacking unit, but the litany of missed chances will no doubt always irritate the Portuguese coach, with Bryan Mbeumo notably hitting the bar on several occasions.
Benjamin Sesko’s return could be the perfect solution, even though the Slovenian has only scored twice himself since his £74 million summer arrival from RB Leipzig, while memorably wasting two golden openers before his injury withdrawal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While his own woes at Arsenal suggest United were right to avoid a certain Viktor Gyokeres, Amorim still needs a player in the mold of the once-talismanic Swede, with Gyokeres scoring 66 times in just 67 games during their time together at Sporting CP.
Gyokeres was the 40-year-old’s go-to man at Lisbon – now he needs a similar attacking figurehead at Manchester…
Man Utd ready to go all out for another attacking signing
United are already on track to improve on last season’s woes in front of goal, having already scored 30 times in just 16 Premier League games, having scored just 44 goals in total in 2024/25.
This progression came after a notable summer window in which Mbeumo, Sesko and Matheus Cunha joined the squad, although the latter duo actually only scored four times between them.
Indeed, while Mbeumo leads the way with six league goals, it is the midfield duo of Bruno Fernandes (five) and Casemiro (four) second and third on the list, indicating why Amorim needs more from the top of the pitch.
That dynamic could change if things go as planned in 2026, with the Telegraph’s James Ducker reporting that INEOS are prepared to “go all out” to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth in January.
The report suggests United are “hopeful” to beat rivals Manchester City with the signing of the £65million man, believing uncertainty over Pep Guardiola’s long-term future at the Etihad could be a factor in gaining the upper hand.
The Red Devils reportedly wanted him over the summer, according to Ducker, although they were put off by the Cherries’ £80 million asking price.
Why Semenyo Could Be Amorim’s New Gyokeres
Four league goals for the Gunners represented a difficult start to life in the Premier League for Gyokeres, although he has been almost as prolific as on his return to Portugal, with 97 in 102 games in total for Sporting in just two full seasons.
Somewhat of a late bloomer, the now 27-year-old had moved to Lisbon after a spell in the league with Coventry City, notably scoring 38 league goals in 2021/22 and 2022/23 for the second-tier side.
Amorim saw the potential in the 6ft 2in physical specimen and unleashed him to devastating effect in the Primeira Liga, with the hope that he could do the same with Semenyo in 2026.
Like Gyokeres, Semenyo – previously rejected by Arsenal and Spurs as a teenager – has had to bide his time to truly reach the elite level, having only operated outside the league and in the EFL before joining his current side in January 2023.
His talents were undoubtedly evident in the Championship, however, having racked up 20 goals and assists for Bristol City in 2021/22, in what proved to be his final full season at Ashton Gate.
|
Semenyo – Career review by position |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Games |
Goals (assists) |
|
FC |
73 |
12 (13) |
|
L.W. |
63 |
13 (9) |
|
R.W. |
57 |
14 (6) |
|
RM |
10 |
5 (0) |
|
M.L. |
4 |
1 (3) |
|
AM |
3 |
1 (0) |
|
Statistics via Transfermarkt |
||
Of course, unlike Gyokeres, Semenyo’s game shows remarkable versatility, given he could even be used as a winger at Old Trafford, but it would also be no surprise to see him lead the attack, providing Amorim with another relentless attacking ‘monster’ – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson.
It’s fair to say that defenses in the Primeira Liga were no match for Gyokeres’ pace and power, the same seems to be true for Semenyo in the Premier League at the moment, with the 25-year-old having already registered ten goals and assists this season.
The division’s fourth-highest scorer, Semenyo – who was seen as a statistically similar striker to Gyokeres in 2022/23, according to FBref – has justified such intense interest in his signature, with United expected to do everything they can to steal a step when the window opens next month.
He could be a wildcard winger option for the Old Trafford side, but having the £65million star deployed at the forefront of the attack, alongside Cunha and Mbeumo, would be a devastating prospect.
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