Man Utd need to make 'exceptionally crazy offer' to fix striker woes

Tom Weber

• Updated: 22 Jan 2024 15:45 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United will need to break the bank if they want to bolster their attack with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, according to German media and Fabrizio Romano.

The Red Devils' prospects of bringing in a backup for €74 million Rasmus Hojlund are dwindling rapidly. Among the players on Man Utd's striker wishlist heading into January were the likes of Timo Werner, Thomas Muller, Serhou Guirassy, Brian Brobbey and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

However, Werner has since signed for Tottenham, Muller has extended his Bayern deal, Guirassy has communicated his desire to stay until the summer to Stuttgart and Brobbey has publically ruled out a January departure from Ajax.

Now, Man Utd's hopes of signing Choupo-Moting have also been dashed.

Choupo-Moting not for sale

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are unwilling to sanction the January exit of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Previously, it had been reported that Man Utd could try to loan the Germany-born Cameroon international, similarly to what they did with Wout Weghorst last January, but that ship has evidently sailed.

According to the German journalist, it would require an "exceptionally crazy offer" to tempt Bayern into letting the veteran striker go in the final days of the January window. The 34-year-old is also said to be keen on remaining in Munich. "No green light from Bayern for a transfer now. No offer on the table," Plettenberg wrote on X.

Fabrizio Romano has backed up this reporting while speaking to CaughtOffside: “Bayern are insisting on him staying at the club – he’s an experienced player and they need some rotation, so he could be important for them."

"United are informed on the conditions but at the moment Bayern are not giving any green light. United have also not activated negotiations yet – they are interested but there are no concrete talks with Bayern.”