The January transfer window has seen very little activity from Manchester United, but that could change during the final week before the deadline.
Erik ten Hag is keen to reinforce his squad, which has been far from consistent this season. However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may want to start his Man United adventure with a statement next summer.
Man United's search for a new attacker
According to a report this week from Spanish news outlet Sport, Real Madrid are willing to sacrifice Vinicius Junior in order to fund a move for PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe.
This has led to reports via Football365 suggesting that United could look to offer a whopping £172m for the Brazilian in the summer.
Although the move occurring is more than unlikely, Ineos could look for a world-class player to rebuild their Red Devils project around.
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ByCharlie Smith The stats that show Vinicus would boost Hojlund
Rasmus Hojlund has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and the pressures of leading the line for Man United since joining from Atalanta for £72m in the summer, with the 20-year-old scoring two goals and providing one assist in 16 Premier League appearances.
However, the Dane has shown plenty of promise, with his finishing letting him down at times, as shown by his nine big chances missed this season.
On the other hand, the striker has been excellent in the Champions League, scoring five goals, and he has now bagged in his last two Premier League games against Aston Villa and Spurs.
The potential signing of Vinicius Jr would boost Hojlund's output massively, and the table below shows a handful of the Real Madrid star's stats from the past year that serve as evidence of that.
Goals
0.42
Top 10%
Assists
0.42
Top 2%
Shot-creating actions
5.21
Top 10%
Touches (Att pen)
9.52
Top 1%
Successful take-ons
4.28
Top 1%
Carries into penalty area
4.97
Top 1%
Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has previously described Vinicius as "unstoppable" and based on the stats above, it is extremely difficult to disagree with that statement.
The number seven is a dribbling demon whose creativity is infinite, as he is untouchable when weaving through the opponent with his direct approach and insane agility, as highlighted by his carrying and dribbling statistics.
The sheer amount of creation coming from Vinicius would provide Hojlund with more opportunities in front of goal, as he is currently living off scraps, underlined via his xG ranking in the bottom 13% for Premier League strikers.
Furthermore, opponents would have to change their game plan to deal with Vinicius, doubling up on him at times, and his ability to drag players out of position would give the Dane much more space to work with in the box.
Vinicus is also among the best goalscorers in the world, as per his rank in the top 10% for goals scored. Although indirectly, the 23-year-old would become the main focal point of Ten Hag's side, ultimately taking the pressure off Hojlund to score all the goals in a similar way to how Mohamed Salah took the responsibility off Roberto Firmino at Liverpool.
Overall, United wouldn't only be signing a star who would improve them instantly, but they would also be acquiring a future "legend in the making," as per the aforementioned Kulig, which could make the £172m a superb investment.