To describe Manchester United's season as a disappointment so far this year would be quite an understatement.
From finishing third, challenging the top two in moments and winning the League Cup last season to falling apart in the Champions League, looking abysmal in the Premier League and going out in the League Cup at the first opportunity- things haven't gone to plan this year.
Now, there are obviously a multitude of reasons for this total loss of form – more than we can go into – but one of the biggest reasons is simply their inability to put the ball in the back.
So far this season, Erik ten Hag's men have scored just 16 Premier League goals, which is more than just five sides in the league, and one man who is particularly guilty of this failing is Marcus Rashford.
However, could transfer target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia be the man to help bring back the Englishman's goalscoring form?
Manchester United News – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
According to a report from 90min last month, Manchester United are one of several Premier League clubs interested in signing Napoli's and Georgia star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in 2024.
The publication revealed that United, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester City all sent scouts to watch Georgia play Spain last month, and while some other players of interest were taking part, the Serie A winner was the centre of attention.
The 22-year-old is currently contracted to the club until 2027 but is said to be negotiating a 12-month extension to his deal as the Neapolitan side look to ward off the European giants that have begun circling above.
When speaking about the dynamic winger's future earlier this year, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis seemed to downplay any potential departure, saying: "Do you want to stop it? He already signed for five years last summer."
However, the Napoli president has made a name for himself for being, shall we say, eccentric, and so everything he says should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Should the Red Devils opt to sign Kvaratskhelia, they can expect to pay a transfer fee in the region of €100m, or about £87m, and while that is undeniably expensive, he could prove to be worth every penny should he unlock the attacking threat of Rashford as well.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could create space for Marcus Rashford
When it comes to United's attackers this season, none of them have covered themselves in glory. Alejandro Garnacho has found some form of late, scoring goals against Everton and Galatasaray, but overall, those entrusted to score the team's goals have not fulfilled their roles.
This problem is perhaps made all the more apparent by the fact that Scott McTominay is currently the club's joint-top scorer in the Premier League this season – that'll be a pub quiz question in years to come.
So, how does Kvaratskhelia compare to the competition at Old Trafford? Well, in essentially every attacking statistic that matters, the "Georgian Magician" is miles ahead.
He has scored as many goals as the rest have combined, registered three times as many assists, creates considerably more for his teammates and, most importantly, consistently and successfully takes on opposing defenders, creating space for his teammates to exploit.
Kvaratskhelia
4
3
7.7
1.25
5.18
3.08
Rashford
2
1
5.5
0.67
4.08
2.17
Martial
1
0
1.4
0.68
1.60
0.45
Garnacho
1
0
2.0
0.79
3.98
1.90
Antony
0
0
2.0
0.52
3.64
1.21
Hojlund
0
0
2.8
0.53
1.99
1.07
With his 3.08 successful take-ons per 90, he is taking on the opposing fullback more than twice as much as Antony, almost three times more than Rasmus Hojlund and six times more than Anthony Martial.
Were the "unstoppable" winger – as he was dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – to take the starting spot on the left flank and Rashford keep his place on the right – where he has been starting in recent weeks – the space opened up by the 22-year-old dynamo could be easily and frequently exploited by Rashford, giving him the platform to rediscover his electrifying form of last year where he found the net 30 times.
This ability to create mayhem with his direct dribbling was noted by Jürgen Klopp last season before Liverpool played – and lost – against Napoli in the Champions League:
“When he has the advantage of the first movement then he is already gone. You have to try to be there in the moment when the ball arrives, but if you cannot do that then you need to be protected because he has speed, he is cheeky, he goes inside, he can go outside, that makes it always really difficult. A good player.”
It will be an expensive deal to complete, but should United have the opportunity to sign Kvaratskhelia, they should take it – for their own sake and Rashford's.