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Paul Merson believes Manchester United should make a shock move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Mateta has been in fine form for the Eagles, scoring six goals in his last give games to help Palace climb away from the relegation zone.
The French striker, who arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2022, was at the double as Oliver Glasner’s side beat Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Merson has been impressed by Mateta’s development at Crystal Palace and believes he is exactly what Ruben Amorim needs at United.
Amorim opted to start England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo up front in the defeat to Palace, leaving big-money signings Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee on the bench.
Manchester United have been linked with a move for a new striker during the January transfer window but look set to keep their powder dry and wait until the summer.
‘Man United should get Mateta, that’s what they need,’ ex-Arsenal and England winger Merson told Sky Sports on transfer deadline day.
‘He’s a strong lad up front, playing at the top of his game, he leads the line, scoring goals now. He runs and works his socks off harder than anyone you know.
‘But they won’t because he plays for Palace. And everyone would go: “what are you buying him for?”
‘But he’s 100 times better than anyone Man Utd have in the front line. Not Amad, he’s a young kid – but he’s much better than Hojlund and Zirkzee at the moment.
‘And Man Utd are playing Mainoo up front. If you’re one of those two centre forwards, I would say: I might as well go out on loan and play for Exeter this month.’
Manchester United spent over £70m to sign Hojlund from Serie A side Atalanta but the Denmark international has only scored two goals in the Premier League this season.
Despite being critical of Hojlund, Merson expressed his sympathy for the striker while admitting he would bring in Mateta as his replacement.
‘I like Hojlund, he’s a young lad,’ Merson added. ‘He will get into it – but the club is too big for him at the moment.
‘He makes good runs, he gets in positions, snatches at the moment. but he’s a young kid. But you’re only as good as the people providing you, and the people behind him aren’t good.
‘[Erling] Haaland is a brilliant scorer, but he won’t get 60 goals at Rochdale. He’s got unbelievable talent behind him, De Bruyne and all that.
‘But you can see Haaland is drying up because they’re bringing other players in now – Savinho and Marmoush from Frankfurt.
‘They’re more dribbly players. He hasn’t got the De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva’s putting the ball on a six pence, they’re playing further back.
‘So I feel for Hojlund in that way. But if I was Manchester United, for the next couple of years, I’d get Mateta and get people around him.’
Ex-Premier League manager Tim Sherwood, meanwhile, believes the Red Devils ‘missed a trick’ by not signing England stars Harry Kane and Declan Rice when they had the chance.
‘They missed a trick,’ Sherwood said. ‘A couple of years ago, they missed the ability to get Harry Kane and Declan Rice.
‘Two signings – they would have been cheaper than who they wasted the money on – the 12 to 15 players they bought.
‘Those two would have been perfect on the pitch, perfect in the dressing room. They would have got the culture back, a winning mentality and make others better around you.’
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