January is always a month in which fans have high hopes their club can sign a host of new players who can help to transform their season.
The mid-season window is a tough time to do business, with many clubs understandably reluctant to sell key players. If your team can secure just one first-team signing you can consider it a success.
United are not exactly renowned for their mid-season business but interim boss Ralf Rangnick could look to bolster his attacking options if his recent comments are anything to go by.
In his press conference on Sunday, the United manager discussed a variety of topics including the future of Edinson Cavani, and he uttered a few words that would have brought a smile to just about every United fan's face.
“He [Cavani] knows I will definitely not let him go," Rangnick said following speculation Cavani could be on his way to Barcelona.
“For me, he is a highly important player for the rest of the season still playing in three competitions so we will definitely need Edi. I would rather have another Edi on top of that.
“But for me, it’s clear Edi has to stay and with regards to other players, yes, our squad is maybe a little bit too big in regard to numbers but we still have Covid, we have three competitions as I said and I think we could do with a bigger squad even without Covid.”
It’s clear, despite several players needing to be moved on from the squad, that Rangnick believes the club could do with a few fresh additions, and one player who could be a low-risk, high-reward option is Julian Alvarez.
The youngster has been turning heads with his performances for Argentinian outfit River Plate, scoring 20 goals already this season, but that isn’t the only stat that makes him a standout player.
If Alvarez is to make his way to the Premier League, it’s only right to compare him to some of the strikers currently plying their trade in England's top flight.
Mohamed Salah has been in sensational form this season, so you'll probably be slightly surprised to hear Alvarez can better his stats in one key area.
Salah has scored 23 goals in 99 attempts this season, while Alvarez has scored 20 goals from 33 shots fewer than the Premier League’s current top goalscorer.
This means Salah averages a goal every 3.8 shots, whereas Alvarez averages a goal every 3.1 shots (via WhoScored).
The numbers don't lie. United aren't exactly creating a lot of chances of late and so having a clinical finisher who can convert the chances they do create could be key. Alvarez could be the man for United.
Would you like United to sign Alvarez? Follow our United On My Mind trends writer Anil Kandola on Twitter and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
