Manchester United will have to make some more upgrades to their attack this summer, as only attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes stood out as a consistent contributor to goals in the 2023/24 season.
At his best, Marcus Rashford is also a world-class attacking player in the Premier League, and there is hope Alejandro Garnacho can be just good in a few years.
Rasmus Hojlund is a promising young striker, too, while there remains hope of a Jadon Sancho reunion if Manchester United were to divest from current manager Erik ten Hag.
All of that still leaves a hole on the right wing, as Antony appears to be on his way to the bench, even if Manchester United aren’t able to keep Sancho around.
Antony struggled to make an impact last season and often frustrated fans with his aimless dribbling and lack of a consistent influence in the final third, as his end product was inadequate for the level Manchester United aspire to be at.
Even ten Hag grew frustrated with Antony and utilized the former 100 million euro signing from Ajax less frequently, leading Manchester United to look at top right wing targets this summer.
Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is at the top of the wishlist, but with Newcastle interested and Chelsea suddenly pursuing the 22-year-old especially hard, it seems as though the Red Devils have resigned themselves to missing out on the elite Premier League winger.
However, there are other options Manchester United could sign for a fraction of the cost, including a potential 20 million euro steal from Ligue 1.
Edon Zhegrova isn’t quite as young as Olise, but at 25 years of age, the recent breakout star at Lille qualifies as a young right winger and one of Europe’s best at the positoin.
An electrifying dribbler, Zhegrova won nearly three dribbles per match in the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season, improving in front of goal from a teasing 2022/23 campaign with six goals and six assists in league play.
Zhegrova has drawn significant interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan, Juventus, and Roma, and it would make a lot of sense for the Lille star to join a team in Italy.
However, Manchester United would be wise to keep an eye on Zhegrova as a bargain signing. Man United have a more difficult time getting the same deals as a Serie A side, given the money and clout they have in the Premier League.
It is still possible for Man United to secure Zhegrova as a more consistent and more creative alternative on the right wing to Antony, who could still remain in a backup role because it may be hard to find an interested party on the transfer market.
Zhegrova isn’t nearly as big of a name as Olise and isn’t as coveted in Premier League circles, but at a third or a fourth of the cost, he could be a worthwhile signing if INEOS want to put more eggs in the midfield and defensive baskets while pursuing a more experienced goal-scoring No. 9 to supplement the young Hojlund.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.