Manchester United potential center-forward signings

• Manchester United is making the signing of a center-forward the club’s priority for the summer.
• We look at United’s potential striker signings.

Manchester United made strides in Ten Hag’s first season as manager, but the team relied heavily on Marcus Rashford in attack and is eager to sign a seasoned number nine to support the striker.

As Erik ten Hag aims to bring in a reliable supply of goals, Manchester United is making the signing of a center-forward the club’s priority for the summer.

We look at United’s potential striker signings.

Rasmus Højlund

Rasmus Højlund. Photo/Goal

The top teams in Europe are keeping an eye on Rasmus Højlund following an impressive season-long rise at Atalanta. The 20-year-old attracted attention with a string of strong displays in Italy after joining Atalanta in a €17 million transfer from Sturm Graz last summer.

Højlund, who hails from Scandinavia and has 10 goals across all competitions, has drawn similarities to Erling Haaland due to his big size, quickness, and lethal left foot. Although the Dane hasn’t quite matched early Haaland’s prodigious goal total, the similarities are clear to see when watching the striker slip in behind defenses.

Højlundmade headlines throughout the month of March when he struck a hat-trick in Denmark’s 3-1 victory against Finland on his debut appearance, followed by a brace against Kazakhstan. He added to that number of goals by scoring again this week against Slovenia, giving him six in as many international outings.

Hojland’s inexperience makes him a risky decision for Manchester United, but if he develops and realizes all of his potentials, he may turn out to be a steal.

Mehdi Taremi

Mehdi Taremi provides a more seasoned alternative at center forward, and it’s known that Manchester United has enquired about the attacker’s availability from Porto.

Despite just making his initial transfer to European football at the age of 26, Taremi has been a prominent presence in Portugal over the previous four seasons. The Iranian has not looked back since netting a hat-trick on his maiden Primeira Liga start for Rio Ave; a season after joining Porto, he scored goals at an impressive pace.

The 30-year-old finished the previous campaign with a career-high 31 goals in all competitions. He has 80 goals in 147 games for Porto. If Ten Hag, as was rumored, decides to bring in both an established and up-and-coming forward this summer, Taremi would be the best short-term alternative. Taremi was Portugal’s top scorer for a second time.

Victor Osimhen

VICTOR OSIMHEN. Photo/Pulse Sports Nigeria

After an outstanding season at Napoli, Victor Osimhen is possibly the most sought-after center-forward in Europe this summer.

Osimhen won the Capocannoniere trophy as Napoli won their first Serie A championship in 33 years under Luciano Spalletti by finishing the season as the league’s top scorer.

Osimhen established himself as one of the top number nines on the continent with 31 goals in all competitions, a performance that put him high on the want lists of teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Nigerian international has 50 league goals in 86 appearances over three seasons in Naples. He combines strong agility with a cunning touch in front of goal.

Although Osimhen and Napoli have agreed to a two-year contract extension, the club president Aurelio de Laurentiis has acknowledged that the 24-year-old attacker may depart if an offer comes in that cannot be turned down “for the good of Napoli.” Any bid is likely to be more than £100m.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane has been linked to a move away from Spurs.||PHOTO: Eurosport|

There isn’t much that can be written about Harry Kane’s attributes that football fans, especially United supporters, don’t already know. Kane is on the verge of surpassing the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer while representing a Spurs team that depends on him as the team’s leading scorer and playmaker.

Kane has 26 Premier League goals to his credit, including their current miserable season. Although Kane will turn 30 in July, his game is well-positioned to mature gracefully.
Kane combines this ability to create plays with a goal-guaranteed style. It is simple to understand why United might be interested given that he is a model professional who has Premier League experience and is at the height of his abilities.