From Kane to Hojlund: Manchester United’s quest for a goalscoring solution
Unlike some previous years, Manchester United could be quick out of the blocks this summer in their bid to assemble a cast able to fight for the Premier League title next season.
Landing a new out-and-out striker to lead the line in 2023/24 is one of Erik ten Hag’s priorities going into the transfer window, with several profiles already examined by the club.
Tottenham Hotspur frontman Harry Kane features close to the top of the Dutchman’s wishlist.
However, Daniel Levy’s unwillingness to let his superstar join another Premier League club could render any deal impossible.
Kane would be an ideal reinforcement for Man United, given he’s a proven Premier League striker and is well-adept to playing week in, week out, having averaged 45 appearances per season for the last nine years.
Although he’ll turn 30 next month, the England captain has shown no signs of slowing down after recording his most prolific Premier League campaign with 30 goals in 2022/23.
He’ll be a free agent at the end of the next season, which will likely force Levy to consider offers for his best player in the coming months to avoid the risk of losing him without a transfer fee in a year.
While Kane’s reportedly open to moving to La Liga amid Real Madrid’s growing interest in his services following Karim Benzema’s departure for Al-Ittihad, Alan Shearer’s goals record in the Premier League remains embedded in the deepest corners of his mind.
That could be Man United’s bargaining chip in any potential negotiations with Tottenham, who appear more inclined to let him go on a free transfer next year than allow him to join any English club this summer.
The Red Devils are ready to wait until 2024 to sign Kane, but they must address their scoring woes in the meantime, bringing Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund name back in fashion.
Following an impressive first half of the season in Bergamo, the Denmark international had a fallout with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, resulting in his reduced playing time during springtime fixtures.
However, the 20-year-old is still one of the most sought-after young prospects in the market, and United have not stayed immune to his charm, though he won’t come cheap.
According to The Athletic, Atalanta would let their prodigious forward leave the club after just one year if an offer in the region of £40 million touched down on their desk.
Although it’s not a prohibitive price tag for a club of Man United’s stature, the question remains – whether they should sign an up-and-coming striker now only to nail him to the bench next year?
Other names on Ten Hag’s list are Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani.
The Serb’s staggering wages in Turin could prove a sticking point, while his underwhelming season under Massimiliano Allegri raises the issue of whether he deserves a high salary.
Man United chief John Murtough has reportedly held discussions with the Bundesliga outfit to understand the feasibility of the deal but was quoted a whopping €80m for Kolo Muani.
Since the Red Devils are unlikely to land either player, Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen have emerged on Murtough’s shopping list.
However, both players would require a significant financial sacrifice, especially the Nigerian, held in high esteem by the Partenopei bigwig Aurelio De Laurentiis after helping the club halt a 33-year Scudetto wait in 2022/23.
With that in mind, United could choose to pursue a deal for Hojlund in case Tottenham decide to stick to their guns and keep Kane out of reach.
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