Robin van Persie’s exit has left Manchester United with just two recognised centre forwards. Wayne Rooney is still the club’s talisman, and regularly playing up front he could well hit the goalscoring form we saw in 2009/10. The other option is young James Wilson and despite his obvious potential he is yet to prove himself as a reliable scorer.
Ed Woodward has already been busy this summer and he surely will be active in the transfer market again soon. If Manchester United want to compete for the major honours this season, then purchasing another top class forward will be high on their priority list.
We’ve selected five strikers who United who could bring in to bolster their forward line.
1. Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
The rumours linking Edinson Cavani with a move to Old Trafford have intensified in recent weeks, and a swap deal involving Angel Di Maria refuses to go away.
Cavani is a forward of numerous qualities, he is strong, powerful and a classy frontman. His goalscoring record is quite remarkable, even more so when you consider that he often gets pushed out to the wing.
His form at Napoli (104 goals in just 138 games) earned him a £53 million move to French giants Paris Saint-Germain in 2013. His record in France (56 goals in 96 matches) has helped the club win back-to-back Ligue 1 titles. Rumours are abound though that the Uruguayan forward isn’t happy and desires a move away from Paris.
His style puts him in a similar mould to Robin van Persie, Cavani would make an excellent target man but with terrific ability and technique, and you feel that he would be able to adapt to the physical game in England. At 28, he is in his prime, but at the fee he would cost, and the prospect of losing Di Maria as part of the deal, would a move for Edinson Cavani be worth it?
2. Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
If recent reports are anything to go by, Christian Benteke has emerged as Manchester United’s top striker target.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed a prolific spell at Aston Villa, his record has seen him net on average a goal every other game. It now looks likely that he feels as if he has outgrown the club and is ready to step up to the challenge of representing a team of Manchester United’s stature.
Being injury-prone and inconsistent are criticisms levelled at Benteke. He did miss the 2014 World Cup and suffered a struggle for goals in the first half of last season but when he has been fit and firing, the Belgian forward has been one of the best forwards in the Premier League.
His goal record, in a team that has perennially struggled since he arrived in the Premier League, is even more impressive. The 24-year-old has the credentials to become a brilliant centre forward and perhaps the chance to play at the highest level is exactly what Benteke needs to raise his game to the next level. The mooted £32.5 million cost seems high but surely Ed will be able to negotiate a lower fee!
3. Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette has emerged as one of the most lethal centre forwards in European football over the last couple of years.
The French international has scored 53 goals in the previous two campaigns in France and was named Ligue 1’s Player of the Year for 2014/15. There is no surprise that Lacazette is being targeted by the top clubs on the continent.
The 24-year-old has been linked with a move to United but he seems more likely to join either Liverpool or Arsenal. You suspect that Lacazette isn’t top of Louis van Gaal’s wanted list and an attempt to sign him won’t be made unless other targets are no longer available.
4. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
A year ago few outside of White Hart Lane would have heard the name Harry Kane. Now, he is arguably the brightest young forward in the Premier League.
Who knows what the 21-year-old can achieve in his career, and if United fail to sign him this summer, another season like the last one and you suspect that a fee similar to what Real Madrid paid for Gareth Bale will be required to lure Kane away from Tottenham.
A transfer this summer looks unlikely however, and you couldn’t blame United for being wary of paying top dollar (£40 million plus if reports are anything to go by) for a player who has played only one, albeit brilliant, season at the top level.
If Harry Kane produces another season of incredible form though, United and any other suitors will be more than happy to pay a record fee for such a top class player.
5. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski has long been on Manchester United’s radar, rumour has it that Sir Alex could have signed the Polish international in 2012 but went in another direction. Fast forward to 2015 and United, now under the management of Louis van Gaal, want to bring him to Old Trafford.
Lewandowski’s ability to score goals speaks for itself. He rose to top with Borussia Dortmund, famously netting four against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final of 2012, and has continued to confirm his reputation as the world’s ultimate finisher at Bayern Munich.
United’s interest in him isn’t surprising but their chances of landing the 26-year-old, in this window anyway, look slim at best. The recent arrival of Bastian Schweinsteiger has made the prospect of signing Lewandowski extremely unlikely. Would Bayern Munich be happy to sell two top class players to a Champions League rival?
Perhaps we could see Robert Lewandowski in a Manchester United shirt in the future, but it is improbable that it will be any time soon.
