Manchester United sent scouts to watch four Borussia Dortmund players at the weekend, and all of them were in yellow for the 2-2 draw at Bayern München. Serhou Guirassy scored in that game, and the report around United's trip makes him the clearest striker name on the list. It also makes this look broader than a single-player check-in.

Guirassy's place in the shortlist

Guirassy has the numbers that make him stand out. He has scored 8 goals and added 2 assists this season, while his 7.19 Bundesliga rating points to the same thing from a different angle. The other detail that matters is the scale of his output, with 98 goals across all competitions since the start of the 2023/24 season.

Bailey, quoted by football365.com, said: "Guirassy remains a particularly attractive option as United consider their long-term plans at centre-forward.

The Guinea international is viewed as the type of experienced striker who could strengthen their attacking options, although prising him away from Dortmund is considered extremely difficult and unlikely."

That is the right way to read the striker interest. Guirassy looks like the most obvious fit, but the same reporting also says moving him out of Dortmund would be very hard.

The wider Dortmund watchlist

United also monitored Jobe Bellingham, Felix Nmecha and Daniel Svensson on the same trip, which is why the visit feels like recruitment planning rather than a one-track chase. Bellingham's 6.57 Bundesliga rating and Nmecha's 6.91 show the midfield pair are being assessed on different terms from Guirassy, while Svensson brings a left-back angle into the mix.

The Svensson and Nmecha strands are not identical. Svensson has been described as a 24-year-old Swedish left-back and a possible summer target rather than a January move, while another report valued Nmecha at around €100million in January, with an €80m release clause expected to become active next summer. United do not look to be putting all their Dortmund work into one window.

Dortmund's own form also helps explain why the scouting trip carried weight. They are top of the Bundesliga on 18 points after eight matches, level with Bayern on points and second on goal difference, so United were watching players inside a team with a strong start rather than a side under pressure.

The short version is simple enough: Guirassy is the name that fits the striker brief, but United's weekend visit suggested a wider Dortmund sweep. January is the obvious month to watch, yet the left-back and midfield links make this more than a one-position search.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →