At Manchester United, the rebuilding process is well under way as Sir Jim Ratcliffe works to improve the organization’s operations.

It has been a quiet January for the Red Devils, who have not yet welcomed any new players to the team, although there have not yet been any on-field arrivals.

Erik ten Hag is eager to improve his team’s attacking department because they are having trouble in the last third.

The hunt for a new attacker by Man Utd

Man United is reportedly vying to capture Brighton sensation Kaoru Mitoma, according to sources from Spain.

Nevertheless, they will have fierce competition to grab him; Arsenal is reportedly the front-runner to sign the winger after Mikel Arteta personally demanded a move. Manchester City, the treble champions, are also considering the Japanese forward.

United Champions League, Rasmus Hojlund Man
According to CIES Football Observatory, Mitoma is valued at approximately £68 million, hence it is unlikely that he will be moving this month because of FFP constraints.

How Rashford and Mitoma are similar

Marcus Rashford scored goals and was full of confidence the previous season, when he scored 17 goals in the Premier League.

But this season, he has been a shadow of his previous self, scoring only four goals in 26 games overall. Right now, the last thing he needs is media attention for his off-field antics, which included being photographed in a Belfast nightclub a few days ago.

Rashford-Livramento
Nevertheless, Ten Hag will want his players to execute to a set standard for the most part because consistency is what United has been lacking most of this season. That being said, Rashford is unfortunate to learn that Mitoma may be the player that consistently threatens the United assault.

Last season, the Japanese attacker gave the Premier League his first taste of entertainment with seven goals and five assists in 24 starts.

Brighton-Mitoma
Despite playing fewer games due to an ankle ailment, he has already scored three goals and supplied four assists in 13 starts this season, putting him on pace to surpass his prior totals.

Still, let’s take a look at Mitoma’s season-long numbers, which demonstrate why he would be a fantastic addition to United.

The 2023/24 PL Stats for Mitoma

Statistics (per 90)

Mitoma

PL Percentile

Objectives

0.20

lower 58%

Helps

0.27

Top 25%

Touches using an ATTT pen

8.04

Top 9%

Attempts at take-ons

5.93

Top 9%

Effective attacks

2.38

Top 13%

enters the penalty area

3.82

Top 4%

Received progressive passes

14.38

Top 6%

Statistics through FBref

When the ball is in his hands, Mitoma is capable of anything, thus it is not surprising that he focused his university thesis on dribbling technique given the facts.

With his deft manoeuvres, the 26-year-old stuns opponents and makes it easy for him to get by them and move the ball into dangerous situations.

With just two players in the lineup boasting more than one successful dribble each game, Ten Hag’s team lacks players who can challenge opponents, which frequently makes United far too easy to play against.

Though he doesn’t score many goals, his direct dribble into the box frequently gives him the chance to create half a yard of space where he can skillfully slot the ball into the corner or set up a teammate. As a result, Christian Burgess, Mitoma’s former teammate, has said that he “finishes like [Thierry] Henry.”

gossip-transfer-kaoru-mitoma-arsenal-brighton-arteta-trossard
But because there can only be one victor in a one-on-one match, Mitoma’s biggest issue is that he is frequently marked by two, or even three, players. Still, it’s a major plus for the other players on the team because it creates an opportunity for a numerical edge elsewhere.

Since no player in the United team has the same ability to affect a game as Mitoma, signing the Japan international could prove to be a wise financial decision—even if it means removing Rashford from consideration for the starting lineup.