Man Utd’s FIVE-MAN striker shortlist includes 40-goal Premier League star

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 18 Jun 2023 05:39 BST
• 4 min read

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has made the search for a new striker his leading priority in the summer transfer window but has thus far come up against a dead end.

The Man Utd boss has been frustrated by the ongoing delays to the club’s takeover, which is a process that is now threatening to run into the new Premier League season.

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Ten Hag, therefore, is working on a smaller budget than he might have wished – and indeed it is unclear just how much money the Glazer brothers – the outgoing owners – have given him to spend.

At present, a blockbuster deal for PSG’s Kylian Mbappe is off the cards – and may not be possible even if Sheikh Jassim takes over the club – while the path is blocked to Tottenham hitman Harry Kane, with Spurs refusing to do business with the Red Devils over the England captain.

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Man Utd’s transfer shortlist

According to The Athletic, there are four principle alternatives that the Red Devils are exploring.

The first of these is Denmark international striker Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta. It was reported on Friday that the Serie A club had knocked a bid back for the youngster, who has been tipped as ‘the next Erling Haaland’, although there was no confirmation who had made the offer.

It is reported that United have been quoted an outlandish price of €100 million for a player who scored nine Serie A goals last season and has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of just €24m.

This deal already seems impossible.

Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) explained

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Our Player Valuation Model calculates an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) for more than 240.000 players in the world. It uses information on the player's skill, potential, performance, contract duration, position and other statistics to estimate an accurate ETV.

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Similarly, United have been brief that they will need to pay a nine-figure sum for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Such massive fees will be enough to put United off in their current state of ownership limbo, particularly as only Osimhen has performed at a high level for more than a single season.

The Athletic reports that a left-field possibility could be Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who has scored 40 goals over three Premier League seasons at Villa Park, though he is presently in contract talks with the Birmingham club.

Ten Hag wanted his new signings in at the start of pre-season, but with takeover talks dragging on, he will be lucky to even have one new face in the door by that point as the Glazers continue to drag their feet hopelessly.