Manchester United are in troubled waters following a poor start to the season, which has seen them drop into the relegation zone after 10 games.
The Red Devils have won just one of those matches, the fewest among the 20 teams, and have scored 14 goals in the league this season.
Goalscoring appears to be a major problem for Michael Carrick’s team, especially since Benjamin Sesko has struggled to stay fit, managing just 206 minutes of first-team football across six games. The Slovenian is out of action until at least January, leaving United short in the No. 9 position.
With Joshua Zirkzee failing to impress, the Red Devils are likely to pursue a new striker once the transfer window opens in January. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that they have identified Dinamo Zagreb striker Dion Beljo as a possible target.
| Stat | Joshua Zirkzee | Benjamin Šeško |
|---|---|---|
| Competition | All competitions | All competitions |
| Apps | 10 | 6 |
| Minutes | 192 | 206 |
| Goals | 2 | 2 |
| Assists | 0 | 0 |
| Shots | 8 | 4 |
| xG (PL) | 0.46 | 0.39 |
A goalscoring phenomenon
Beljo joined Dinamo Zagreb last summer and was outstanding last season, scoring 38 goals and registering six assists in 48 games.
The 24-year-old has continued that golden run this campaign as well, and now has 19 goals and nine assists in 20 appearances. Beljo is a towering centre-forward who can dominate opposition defenders and makes intelligent runs to split open the backline.
He has an eye for goal and excels in link-up play, and is exactly the kind of player United lack in their squad at the moment.
The Croatian was on song against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last week in the Europa League, helping his team secure a 2-0 victory. It now appears that his efforts have also turned heads at several clubs in the English top flight.
United face competition for Beljo
According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United and Leeds United have stepped up their pursuit of Beljo. The report states: “Newcastle and Leeds were both represented on Wearside to watch Beljo in action against Sunderland, giving them another opportunity to assess his performances against Premier League opposition.”
The report confirms that Beljo has also turned heads at Sunderland following his impressive outing last week, while United continue to keep him under close watch.
It continues: “Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are also understood to have been tracking his progress, while Brighton and Brentford have previously checked on his situation.”
All signs indicate that the Red Devils will not have a free run at the explosive Croatian, who looks certain to be on his way in January.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 6/10
Why?
✅ TPP has previously covered United’s interest in Dion Beljo.
✅ The Croatian’s efforts are likely to earn him admirers in the Premier League.
⚠️ This could be speculation from the publication.
TPP view
We believe it is quite likely that several Premier League clubs will be watching Beljo’s exploits this season with interest.
Featured image by Christian Bruna via Getty Images
