Why Man Utd Need to Sign a Striker & 3 Potential Alternatives to Kane & Osimhen

As the summer transfer window gets underway, many will be looking at how Erik ten Hag places to continue to rebuild and improve Manchester United.

The Dutchman has guided the Red Devils to a top-three Premier League finish, a Carabao Cup triumph, and an FA Cup final in an impressive first season, and with the market now open for business, it’ll be interesting to see who United bring in to continue their development under the former Ajax boss.

One of the main areas that United will need to address is the striker position up front, with no consistent frontman leading the line. Marcus Rashford had an incredible season, becoming the first player since Robin van Persie to score 30+ goals in all competitions in a single season for Man United.

Other than Rashford though, United haven’t had anyone else up front to rely on, meaning that when the Englishman doesn’t score, United have had nobody else to turn to in order to find the goals. Anthony Martial has once again had a season plagued by injuries and managed just six Premier League goals, whilst loanee Wout Weghorst failed to score a single goal in 17 league appearances. It’s put even more pressure on United to fill the void up front, allowing Rashford to flourish in his favoured left-wing position.

For months, Harry Kane has been linked with a move to Old Trafford and it looked as though the England captain was destined for the switch. However, recent reports and rumours have suggested that Tottenham are demanding an extortionate fee for the 29-year-old, despite having just one year left on his current contract, as the North London outfit tries to hold on to their star man for one more year – seeing ten Hag look consider other options.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is another name being linked as the Italian side looks to cash in on the Nigerian striker, who fired the Naples club to a historic Scudetto in Serie A with 26 league goals to his name.

Whilst Osimhen would be another fantastic signing, the fee of over £150million that is being speculated could be another bridge too far and could be too expensive, especially with United yet to conclude their ownership situation. With other positions to look at, spending over £150million on one player could be a big dent in ten Hag’s summer plans, especially if potential Financial Fair Play rules play a factor in how much the Red Devils can spend. We’ve picked out some alternatives that would cost a little cheaper but could still be a fine signings for United.

Rasmus Højlund

A name that has already been linked with United is Rasmus Højlund of Atalanta. The young striker has been rumoured to be a target to be the understudy of a Kane or Osimhen but could provide an option up-front for a cheaper price.

The Danish attacker is still very young at the age of just 20 but possesses a lot of quality for his age, which has seen him become one of the top prospects in Europe. The former Sturm Graz attacker combines his electric speed with impressive dribbling and technical skills which make him a huge threat on the ball. He’s also strong on both feet and has a tall stature which means he can often find himself on the end of chances and scoring goals.

Although Højlund was previously reportedly a potential back-up option for United, the Denmark international has the ability to play a starting role up front for the Red Devils. Højlund has five goals in four senior international appearances for his national side as well as enjoying his first season in a top-five European league, with nine goals and four assists in the Serie A for La Dea. With a top coach like ten Hag improving him, surrounded by top stars, Rasmus Højlund could realise his potential sooner rather than later.

Dusan Vlahovic

Another player from Serie A that would be a good fit for United is Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.

The Serbian marksman is a prolific striker that combines his technical ability and excellent finishing skills with his tall frame to be a modern centre forward that has it all. Ten Hag has shown through his time at Ajax using Sebastien Haller, as well as bringing in Weghorst last January, that he likes the option of a tall target man to provide a different approach if needed. Vlahovic’s 6ft 3in frame means that he could fit this role, as well as having the skill needed to be a top centre forward. Despite missing a lot of the season with injury, Vlahovic still managed ten goals and two assists for Juventus season. Across his time in Serie A so far, Vlahovic has scored 61 goals in 140 appearances, showing his clinical eye for a goal, and still only 23 years old, could be even better.

The Old Lady paid around €81million for Vlahovic from Fiorentina in January 2022, so will likely still cost a big fee. However, with the Turin giants currently going through a financial crisis involving accounting financial and accounts irregularities, which also saw Juve docked 10-points and crucially only qualify for a UEFA Conference League spot, the Italian outfit could be tempted to offload Vlahovic for a lower price than expected in order to balance the books whilst also giving the striker a chance for Champions League football.

Jonathan David

Lille’s Jonathan David could be an alternative option for Man United to pursue. The Canadian has enjoyed another prolific season in Ligue 1, where he pushed Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot award.

The former Gent striker has been devastating in front of goal since making the move to the French top tier from the Belgium side. David has hit double figures for goals in each of the three seasons he has spent in France, with last season being his most fruitful. His 24 goals in 37 games saw him challenge Mbappe and Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette for the top goalscorer prize before the pair managed to wheel away towards the final weeks.

David’s pace and ability to run into space mean he’s a handful for defenders. The 23-year-old also enjoys coming deep to receive the ball and link up with other attackers, which could be a massive benefit that allows Marcus Rashford to run in behind from the left side to get on the end of chances.

The Canadian's brilliant performances for Lille has seen his market value rise up, which will likely mean the French side will demand more than double the €25million they paid for him back in 2020. Les Douges have usually been a big-selling club though and often like to cash in on their star players, as they have done with the likes of Eden Hazard and Nicolas Pepe through the years.

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