The 'champion' £67m striker Man United could sign in January without spending a penny

Manchester United have made a slow start to the new Premier League season. Pressure is already starting to mount on their head coach Ruben Amorim. The Red Devils were beaten 3-1 away at Brentford last time out.

They find themselves positioned in 14th place in the table after their first six fixtures. They are back in action this weekend at home to newly promoted Sunderland as they look to bounce back and return to winning ways. Their upcoming opponents have adapted well to life in the top flight after winning the Championship play-off final back in May against Sheffield United.

Manchester United should move for Dusan Vlahovic

United have the chance to bring in some more players in the January transfer window. They could do with some more firepower at the top end of the pitch. The North West giants delved into the market over the summer to bring in the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, among others.

The Red Devils have now been linked with a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, as per a report by Gazetta Dello Sport. His current club snapped him up for a hefty fee of £67 million back in 2022 and he has since proved to be a decent addition. However, his long-term future in Italy is now up in the air.

Vlahovic, 25, is out of contract at the end of the campaign. He is due to become a free agent in June 2026 as things stand. The attacker is yet to put pen-to-paper on an extension and it remains to be seen whether he will be staying put beyond the end of his deal or leaving for a new challenge elsewhere.

The Serbia international, who has 38 caps to his name, rose into the first-team at Partizan as a youngster. He emerged on the radar of Fiorentina and they lured him to Serie A back in 2018. The forward went on to become a key player during his time in Florence and scored 49 goals in 108 games in all competitions.

His form alerted the attention of Juventus and he joined them three years ago. He has since found the net on 62 occasions in 151 outings, four of which have come this term already. The Turin side face a battle to keep hold of him now though amid attention from elsewhere.

Why Dusan Vlahovic would suit Manchester United?

Vlahovic would give United another option up top. He would be a big upgrade on Joshua Zirkzee and could provide some stronger competition for Sesko. In addition, he has proved he can score goals at the top level in Italy and should try and test himself in England now.

The Red Devils must start making better signings after a torrid past few years. They have wasted so much money and need to start being more shrewd with their incoming business. The fact they wouldn’t have to pay a fee for Vlahovic would suit them perfectly and makes this potential move an absolute no-brainer decision.

His former Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli has recently said in an interview with Tribuna: Dusan has shown great professionalism. He has endured everything. His goals reflect his inner balance. For me, he is a champion. I’d like to see him score even more — he is one of the strongest forwards in Europe.”

United will have a big decision to make regarding their managerial position if things don’t improve for Amorim. He was picked as their replacement for Erik Ten Hag late last year. His switch to Old Trafford hasn’t gone to plan though and he has struggled to make the desired impact.