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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that the club are in the market for a striker, having been quizzed regarding January purchases.
United had been linked with Dutch World Cup star Cody Gakpo, but the forward instead opted to join Liverpool, forcing Ten Hag to look elsewhere.
The Old Trafford boss, 52, said: “I think we have to get a striker in, but it has to be the right one.
“The right one is a player that brings quality to the team, not just adding to the squad because that only gives you problems. And, you know the criteria is high here at Manchester United.”
Ahead of the Red Devils’ trip to Wolves on Saturday, we look at a range of strikers who could be either short-term or long-term answers to their problems in attack.
Memphis Depay
Gakpo was an example of the type of player that Ten Hag described in his quotes. Though he is a quality performer, he is predominantly a left-winger and would just be another option, in a position where the squad is already well stocked.
A more natural solution than Gakpo is his Dutch compatriot Memphis Depay, who could be available in a cheap January transfer or on loan, with his contract at Barcelona set to expire next summer.
The 28-year-old had an unsuccessful spell at Manchester United, after signing from PSV Eindhoven in 2015. A move to Lyon saw Depay develop from a winger into a striker and he has become an integral player for the Netherlands.
Depay has scored 43 goals in 86 international appearances. Long-term, the player may not be a solution, but he looks like a quality stopgap and his versatility means that he could be a useful squad player beyond this season.
Marcus Thuram
Another striker whose contract expires in the summer is Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram.
The son of the legendary defender Lilian Thuram, he saw a lot of action at the World Cup for France and came on as a first-half substitute in the final.
This burst of exposure comes at just the right time for the 25-year-old, who made the French squad after scoring 13 goals in just 17 games for his club this term. A former winger turned striker, this has been Thuram’s best season in terms of goalscoring.
There is surely a deal to be done, but there is a lot of interest in Thuram, with reports from Italy claiming that Inter Milan will make an offer for the player to join them in 2023.
Jonathan David
Lille forward Jonathan David is a player that could be available in January. Though his contract does not expire until 2025, United have the financial muscle to tempt the French outfit.
David featured in the World Cup for Canada, for whom he has scored 22 goals in 38 games. Since moving to Europe in 2018 with Gent, the Brooklyn-born striker has made impressive progress.
Some 37 strikes in 83 games for the Belgian side won David a move to Lille, where he has added another 41 goals in 112 matches. Nine of those Lille goals have come in 16 Ligue 1 games this season.
Said to be valued in the region of £48million, David is affordable but does represent a gamble for the Red Devils. The step up from the French top flight to the Premier League is a steep one.
Victor Osimhen
One player who has taken the step up from Lille to a more competitive league and flourished is Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria international had one successful season at Lille, in which his performances persuaded the Serie A club to sign Osimhen for a potential fee of £71m back in 2020.
Though his progress was steady rather than spectacular in his first two years in Italy, Osimhen has exploded into life this season.
As part of Luciano Spalletti’s exciting side, Osimhen has scored 10 goals in 14 matches for the Serie A leaders.
Napoli’s title bid makes Osimhen a difficult player to purchase in January, as does the fee that the club paid for him.
Long-term, Osimhen’s pace, skill and potential, could make him the perfect new striker for United, but a summer move is likelier.
Harry Kane
If Ten Hag was to acquire a stopgap striker like Depay and wait until the summer before going all out for a top-class solution, then Harry Kane has to enter the equation.
Kane turns 30 in July, but remains a potent goalscorer. He equalled Wayne Rooney’s record as England’s all-time top scorer during the World Cup and has 13 goals in 16 Premier League games this season.
The England skipper’s contract will expire in 2024, which means that Tottenham could be willing to sell in the summer, rather than let the player walk away for free at the end of next season.
Aside from his scoring feats, Ten Hag would surely be intrigued as to what Kane could bring to his team as a playmaker. His passing range would help to create opportunities for wide forwards like Marcus Rashford and Antony.
