Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has been told he would be taking a serious backwards step in his career if he left the Ligue 1 side to join Manchester United after TEAMtalk revealed the USA striker was a serious target for INEOS heading into the January window.

The Red Devils have endured a bleak campaign to date and currently reside in 17th place, with just one Premier League win to their name from their nine matches so far.

While the club has lacked all over the park, it is perhaps in attack where they have suffered the most, and a failure to add another option to Michael Carrick’s ranks over the summer, coupled with the ongoing injury struggles of Benjamin Sesko, has seen their frontline struggle badly.

Indeed, five of the 10 goals they have scored so far came in the home clash against Ipswich, with just five more added to that tally in their seven games since.

As a result, plans to address that in January are now starting to gather pace, with director of football Jason Wilcox now drawing up a list of possible options.

As TEAMtalk exclusively revealed earlier this week, one of those now on their radar is Balogun, whom Monaco showed willingness to sell over the summer to Everton, before pulling the plug on the deal at the 11th hour.

However, despite a belief that a deal is there to be done, pundit Troy Deeney reckons a move to Old Trafford would prove a mistake for the USMNT striker, who has played a part in 43G/A in 97 games since ditching Arsenal for the south of France.

And while the £42m (€50m, $56m) star is yet to start a Ligue 1 match this season, Balogun has been warned why a move to Old Trafford could set his career back.

Man Utd transfers: Balogun told to avoid Old Trafford move

Speaking to CBS Sports, Deeney said: “No, no, no, not good for Man Utd, not good for Flo Balogun himself.

“It just doesn’t work. Man Utd haven’t given you a record in the last decade of a striker who has gone in and done well. They don’t give you the support mechanism for that.

“I actually thought the move to Everton made sense. What I mean by that is that Everton create good moments; if you see [Thierno] Barry at the moment, he doesn’t give himself the best chance; he misses a lot.

“Balogun was in a wonderful vein of form at the start of the season, came off a wonderful World Cup, scored a lot in the Champions League, I think the Man United project would set him back.”

After a move to Everton fell through in the summer transfer window, Balogun recently left the door open to a return to the Premier League.

Speaking about his future last month, Balogun told talkSPORT: “Yes, potentially. Football has many twists and turns, as we’ve seen after the World Cup.

“I was close to a transfer, didn’t materialise, but for sure it’s definitely an option.”