Paul Merson hilariously suggests 2 Manchester United stars should consider joining Exeter City on loan as he names player who is '100 times better'

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has insisted Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee should move to EFL League One side Exeter City while urging Manchester United to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Earlier this Sunday (February 2), the Red Devils slumped to a 2-0 Premier League loss against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. Mateta scored the opener in the 64th minute and netted once more in the 89th minute.

During a discussion on Sky Sports, Merson suggested that Manchester United should attempt to sign the Frenchman on the winter transfer deadline day. The 56-year-old elaborated:

"Manchester United should go and get the lad who played yesterday, Mateta at Crystal Palace. That's what they need. They need a big, strong lad up front who's playing at the top of his game. He leads the line, he's a handful, he's scoring goals now. He runs, he works his socks off as hard as any other player you know."

Merson, who represented Arsenal 422 times as a player, continued:

"But they won't because he plays for Palace and everyone will go: 'What are you buying him for? He plays for Palace'. But he's 100 times better than all the players they've got at Manchester United in the frontline. But not Amad [Diallo], Amad is a young kid."

Claiming Mateta is better than Hojlund and Zirkzee, Merson concluded:

"But he's much better than Hojlund at the moment. He's much better than Zirkzee at the moment. And they're playing [Kobbie] Mainoo up front. If you're one of them two centre-forwards, you go: 'I might as well go out on loan this week to Exeter or somewhere like that'."

Mateta, 27, has established himself as one of Crystal Palace's most important attackers since Oliver Glasner's arrival last February. He has contributed 26 goals in his last 41 total games for the Selhurst Park outfit.

Manchester United target set to join rival club

According to reputed reporter Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United target Mathys Tel is set to join Tottenham Hotspur soon. The Frenchman will join Spurs on a temporary move without an option to purchase.

Tel, who is currently on his way to London to finalise a move to Ange Postecoglou's team, has been in the headlines for a while. Apart from the Red Devils, he was also allegedly linked with Arsenal and Chelsea.

The 19-year-old has found the back of the opposition net 16 times and laid out seven assists in 83 overall matches for Bayern Munich so far.