Van Nistelrooy ready to raid Man Utd for winger

Stuart Telford

• 28 Jan 2023 03:38 CST
• 3 min read

PSV Eindhoven are looking for a Cody Gakpo replacement and Ruud van Nistelrooy has settled upon a talented player from his former club, Manchester United.

PSV sold Gakpo to Liverpool in a €42 million deal this winter, a bumper transfer but one who takes 30 goal-involvements this season with him.

Van Nistelrooy's side are six points off Feyenoord's Eredivisie-setting pace, and the former goal-machine thinks Man Utd youngster Anthony Elanga will help him close the gap.

READ: Why Ten Hag has blocked Elanga’s Everton loan

'PSV have asked about Elanga'

"PSV Eindhoven have asked about signing Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga on loan but Erik ten Hag is still reluctant to let players out," report the Daily Mail.

"With Ten Hag still debating whether the young United star is in his plans, former Man United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is open to the idea of bringing him to PSV on a loan deal."

Elanga broke into United's first team under Ralf Rangnick last season but now finds himself behind Marcus Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho for a place out wide in the Red Devils' attack.

READ: Liverpool paying the price for prioritising Gakpo transfer over midfield

"Of course I can't name names, but we're working hard on it, because it's necessary," Van Nistelrooy said ahead of PSV's meeting with Go Ahead Eagles on Saturday, all but confirming the pursuit of Elanga.

Swedish youngster Elanga has eight goal-involvements in his 48 Man Utd appearances to date, although many of them have been from the bench, and there is a feeling he could add more goals to his game in the Netherlands.

Van Nistelrooy knows a thing or two about that - the former Netherlands No.9 scored 150 goals in 219 games with Man Utd between 2001 and 2006, before leaving in a €15m transfer to Real Madrid.

Elanga can line up on either side of the attack, but the 20-year-old Swede would likely take Gakpo's place on the left of Van Nistelrooy's preferred 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 systems at PSV.