It has been almost two years since Manchester United signed Cristiano Ronaldo, hoping that his return to Old Trafford will bring back the old glory days, but that move turned out to be the wrong one for various reasons. In fact, it could be argued that in some ways, Man United are still recuperating from that mistake and the most obvious problem the club is facing this summer is the addition of a new starting striker. Sure, it is not Ronaldo’s mistake per se that United did not sign any new strikers last summer, but with his sacking in December, Erik Ten Hag has really limited options up front.
United Give Up On Kane
It was not a surprise when Man United decided to make Harry Kane their number one priority this summer. He is 30 this year, Tottenham Hotspur are struggling even more than usual and at United he could join a great project and keep working at breaking the all-time goalscoring Premier League record. Not to mention potential trophies. But despite the fact Kane is entering final year of his contract, Spurs are not ready to let him go. Now, The Guardian are reporting Ten Hag is disappointed that his potential move has fallen through. United are not ready to pay extortionate amounts of money for a player who could leave Spurs as a free agent next summer. So, if not Kane, who else could be the solution?
Is Osimhen The Answer?
Kane and his 30 Premier League goals are gone, so what about Victor Osimhen and his 26 goals and five assists in Serie A? Napoli striker was their main player throughout the season, leading Luciano Spalletti’s side to their first championship in 33 years. He also added five Champions League goals in six games, helping Napoli reach quarterfinals for the first time in club’s history. But as time is passing by, it is becoming clear Napoli will not be letting the Nigerian striker for a reasonable amount of money. According to Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Osimhen remains of interest to Man United, but he is likely to be out of reach. Napoli are understood to be asking for a fee of 150 million euros.
Hojlund Mentioned In The Conversation
While Osimhen is still not officially given up on, Man United are unlikely to sign him. So the same sources from The Guardian also claim the club is keen to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. United like the potential he is showing, but he would not be seen as a regular starter in the ‘number nine’ position in the 2023-24 season. They could sign him this summer, but it seems that this move would be seen as building for the future and giving Hojlund time to grow into the player they would expect him to become some time in the future. And if this is the case, and if United actually sign him for such purposes, then the issue of the starting striker is still not resolved.
We are still midway through the June and there is plenty of time to make the right move, but as days are passing by, the possibility of this problem turning into a whole-summer saga is increasing. Man United need to be decisive and move quickly.
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