Manchester United opinion: Red Devils want Nicolas Pepe – a good move?

English news outlet Express have reported that Manchester United have joined the race for Nicolas Pepe. The young Frenchman is having the season of his life and has managed to net 19 goals so far, putting him behind just Kylian Mbappe who has 27.

Pepe has also created 13 goals, which makes him the Ligue 1’s top creator. That combined with his searing pace and ability on the ball has made him a top target for the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal (Mirror).

However, for Manchester United, someone like Nicolas Pepe is a must-have next season, especially if the Red Devils are to challenge for the top-four. At the moment, they sit in sixth place and see their chance of finishing in the top-four diminishing as every game passes them by.

They’ve also managed to win just one of their last five games and are winless in their last three, which shows just how badly they are struggling.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to bring in new blood but more importantly, the Norwegian needs to bring in someone who can regularly contribute with goals next season.

Former Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho believed that Alexis Sanchez could do exactly that but the Chilean has scored just five goals in just under fifteen months.

To make things worse, Jesse Lingard has managed to net just four goals in the Premier League, thus increasing the burden on the other players at the club.

However, both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have done well, scoring 20 goals between themselves, with Romelu Lukaku adding 12 more. That is a decent amount but it isn’t a goalscoring total that will help Manchester United to a top-four finish.

They need someone who can be a lot more direct and creative in the final third, which describes Nicolas Pepe. The 23-year-old is an exceptional player in the final third and has consistently scored or created goals over the course of his rather short career.

Furthermore, his mentality and never say die attitude will help ease the transition into the ferocious Premier League for Manchester United. Yet, that doesn’t mean that Pepe alone will lead the Red Devils to a top-four or a Premier League title.

They need new additions and it has to be players who can make a difference at the club. That will be one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s biggest tasks as the manager and if he gets that right, everything else should fall into place.

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Conclusion

Nicolas Pepe is going places and will eventually move on from LOSC Lille, either this summer or in the near future. If and when he does decide to leave, Manchester United should win the race as Pepe’s presence will boost the Red Devils’ chances of doing well next term.