Potential striker signings (who aren't named Højlund)

[ThierryHenry14]

I'm hopeful Ralf can use his Red Bull connections to convince Adeyemi to choose us over Dortmund.

Make no sense for his development to pick Man Utd over BVB.

 

[Utd7]

Make no sense for his development to pick Man Utd over BVB.

Objectively I agree and that's a likely outcome anyway. But that's who I'd like ideally as his goal output is similar to Haaland in Austria.

 

[Rozay]

We REALLY need to stop acting like Real Madrid, looking for "proven" galacticos for 100M + price and then taking multiple seasons to convince them + pay that much. There are great, much cheaper players on the verge of breaking out that we need to start finding and developing. Haalands, Neymars, Mbappes, Pogbas, Maguires, and Declan Rices of the world should not even be considered.

Translation: our recruitment SUCKS

Basically we should avoid signing top players.

 

[NewGlory]

Basically we should avoid signing top players.

Overpriced players who more often than not do not deliver are definitely not "top players".

 

[Rozay]

Overpriced players who more often than not do not deliver are definitely not "top players".

Basically, don’t sign top players if you have the ability to go to the future and see whether they will be a success or not then.

Either that or by listing Mbappé, Haaland, Neymar and co that is your example of players who are not top players and are simply overrated.

 

[NewGlory]

Basically, don’t sign top players if you have the ability to go to the future and see whether they will be a success or not then.

Either that or by listing Mbappé, Haaland, Neymar and co that is your example of players who are not top players and are simply overrated.

I see what the confusion is here.

Mbappe, Haaland, and Neymar most certainly are top players but they would never join us in our current state so discussing them is a waste of time. The overpriced comment was more about Maguire and Pogba who have been horrible signings. Maguire because he is garbage, Pogba is not garbage but he is not delivering even 1/3 of what he's costing us, so for us he is a waste. I suspect Declan Rice will also be a waste even if he joins us.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

I see what the confusion is here.

Mbappe, Haaland, and Neymar most certainly are top players but they would never join us in our current state so discussing them is a waste of time. The overpriced comment was more about Maguire and Pogba who have been horrible signings. Maguire because he is garbage, Pogba is not garbage but he is not delivering even 1/3 of what he's costing us, so for us he is a waste. I suspect Declan Rice will also be a waste even if he joins us.

Whenever there is a very expensive english player labelled as the next big thing/with high ceiling and can solve a particular position for the next 10 years for a club, it is very likely to be a waste of money. I won't be surprised if Man Utd is the only club that bid for Rice this summer, just like Sancho last summer.

 

[Rozay]

I see what the confusion is here.

Mbappe, Haaland, and Neymar most certainly are top players but they would never join us in our current state so discussing them is a waste of time. The overpriced comment was more about Maguire and Pogba who have been horrible signings. Maguire because he is garbage, Pogba is not garbage but he is not delivering even 1/3 of what he's costing us, so for us he is a waste. I suspect Declan Rice will also be a waste even if he joins us.

So as I said, top players and top players you have had the benefit of looking o the future and assessing their time here. Certainly in Pogba’s case. It cannot be argued we were signing a top player there either. We could also go the other way and sign players like Fred and VDB, and then complain when they don’t work too.

 

[NewGlory]

Whenever there is a very expensive english player labelled as the next big thing/with high ceiling and can solve a particular position for the next 10 years for a club, it is very likely to be a waste of money. I won't be surprised if Man Utd is the only club that bid for Rice this summer, just like Sancho last summer.

Agree 100%

 

[bond19821982]

Anyone impressed with Weghorst ? He isn't your typical physical monster but he was good technically too.

Haven't watched him though. Any experts ?

 

[CraftySoAndSo]

Duvan Zapata? There was rumors Atalanta were looking to get rid in January but could be nonsense, don't know if he'd work in a high press system though if we are going in that direction.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Anyone impressed with Weghorst ? He isn't your typical physical monster but he was good technically too.

Haven't watched him though. Any experts ?

Really? is this how far we've fallen.

 

[piesel]

Duvan Zapata? There was rumors Atalanta were looking to get rid in January but could be nonsense, don't know if he'd work in a high press system though if we are going in that direction.

He just picked up a serious injury on Sunday, season expected to be over.

 

[CraftySoAndSo]

He just picked up a serious injury on Sunday, season expected to be over.

I heard he got injured but didn't know how long for though.

 

[troylocker]

He'd certainly be a very natural fit for Ten Hag from all I've read about the way he uses his current CF tactically. But he does also seem to pick up more than his fair share of injuries.....

He really isn't though (DCL that is).

- His defensive workrate is very bad, and only beaten by Ronaldo in low pressingnumbers in the PL.
- Offers very little creativity: 0,08 xA90 over more than 10k minutes in the PL is extremely underwhelming.
- And his goalscoring isn't all that great either. Since his break out season in 19/20: 30 non-penalty goals in 6039 minutes in the PL (0,45 goals/90). Even worse before that.

Not worth anything north of 30M to be fair.

 

[bosnian_red]

My guess is Martial is our starting #9 next season.

Extremely slim pickings. Could hope for Lautaro, though it is extremely unlikely, Schick and Isak are alright but nothing special but would come with big price tags, Tammy Abraham would also be an equally alright option as those other guys... Basically anyone we go after will be expensive and probably not good enough long term. Lautaro probably the best chance at actually being good enough.

 

[troylocker]

Anyone impressed with Weghorst ? He isn't your typical physical monster but he was good technically too.

Haven't watched him though. Any experts ?

He's a good upgrade on Wood, so it was great business for Burnley.
Occupies defenders and makes room for others, strong, excellent header, decent with the ball in his feet and will probably give you 12-20 goals a season in the league plus some assists.
Pretty much the Dutch Fernando Llorente.
Not good enough for a top club though.

 

[soapythecat]

I think it’s very safe to assume we will be getting at least one forward/striker in this summer. Ronaldo will be gone (a blessing) and Cavani too, leaving us with good old Rashford.
Im pretty confident that RR will bring in the right players whilst not pandering to PR toys but players who will suit a system.
Its going to be exciting.

 

[sullydnl]

He really isn't though (DCL that is).

- His defensive workrate is very bad, and only beaten by Ronaldo in low pressingnumbers in the PL.
- Offers very little creativity: 0,08 xA90 over more than 10k minutes in the PL is extremely underwhelming.
- And his goalscoring isn't all that great either. Since his break out season in 19/20: 30 non-penalty goals in 6039 minutes in the PL (0,45 goals/90). Even worse before that.

Not worth anything north of 30M to be fair.

He is the type of mobile target man needed for Ten Hag's current cross-heavy approach though, as well as a tendency to go long to relieve pressure against better sides.

In terms of his non-penalty goalscoring, he was 76th percentile in 19/20 (0.45 per 90 from an expected 0.49) and 92nd percentile in 20/21 (0.50 per 90 from an expected 0.48). It's only this season he has notably underperformed in terms of returns (0.17 per 90 from an expected 0.54).

A more important point to take away from that though is his consistent ability to get into excellent scoring positions and generate high-quality chances. He was 90th, 91st and 91st percentile in his last three seasons for NPxG/90 and 79th, 91st and 94th for NPxG/shot. This is also in an Everton side who weren't particularly creative, so it's not that he was benefitting from others' work in that regard. Understat had him accounting for approx. 40% of Everton's accumulated xG in 20/21, for example.

If we're projecting ahead, that profile of a player who consistently creates high quality chances for himself is far more telling than the one season of finishing underperformance in a struggling side while battling injuries.

As I said in a different post, it's not that I'm all that keen on DCL, don't see weaknesses in his game or wouldn't be concerned about his injuries. But if for arguments sake we accept that Haller is representative of the sort of #9 Ten Hag would want (effectively a mobile target man who doesn't need to be as technically gifted as the rest of the team) then there can't be that many strikers around Europe who both fit that profile and who would be more attractive to the club in this market.

Basically if we're talking about a striker signing this summer the first thing we should do is decide on the type of striker we want based on the way the manager wants to play. If they don't fit then they shouldn't be an option, no matter how good they are individually. And if we narrow ourselves down to this particular profile, I think DCL probably is an option.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Anyone impressed with Weghorst ? He isn't your typical physical monster but he was good technically too.

Haven't watched him though. Any experts ?

I’ve followed him since his AZ days he’s a very good striker and far better technically than his frame would suggest.

But he’s definitely not a United player.

 

[Caesar2290]

If ETH comes then I wouldn't mind Haller. He knows how use him. Turned him into the top scorer in the CL so far. Would definitely take a punt on him, but only if ETH comes.

 

[sullydnl]

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[bond19821982]

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Martinez won't leave Inter. Even if he does, it will be 80-100m
Isak and Schick is going to cost around 50m .

 

[SAF is the GOAT]

I'm hopeful Ralf can use his Red Bull connections to convince Adeyemi to choose us over Dortmund.

I would prefer Christopher Nkunku instead, this kid is

 

[Devil may care]

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Didn't Lautaro just sign a new contract at Inter? I could see either of the other 2 realistically happening.

 

[sullydnl]

Martinez won't leave Inter. Even if he does, it will be 80-100m
Isak and Schick is going to cost around 50m .

Tbf you'd probably struggle to find a CF we could target as a first choice option who wouldn't cost at least 50m. With Rangnick saying it's obvious that we need to sign a striker in the summer and that the club needs the best possible CF, it's more a question of who we try to spend that money on.

 

[NYAS]

I’d rather bring Haller back to the PL than get rinsed for DCL.

Also like Schick.

If Zapata was couple years younger he would’ve been my number 1 option (outside Haaland).

Nobody else convinces me. Very tough striker market this summer.

 

[GledTheRed]

I'd take Isak

 

[pocco]

Wouldn't want any of them, don't think any are United quality. Joao Felix is one I think has a huge potential but he'd cost a fortune and would suit City more than our football. Incredibly talented though. Vlahovic was the other I looked but obviously he's gone.

 

[NoPace]

I’d rather bring Haller back to the PL than get rinsed for DCL.

Also like Schick.

If Zapata was couple years younger he would’ve been my number 1 option (outside Haaland).

Nobody else convinces me. Very tough striker market this summer.

Haller's too slow I think. If Ten Hag demands him then fine, but he really struggled at West Ham to get into the box after counters.

Conversely, Shick is at least as good at linking up (and really good still in the air on long balls) and can participate in the counter after linking up. I'm not sure he has the upside of some of the other choices like David, but I think he'd be a good signing.

 

[NoPace]

Tbf you'd probably struggle to find a CF we could target as a first choice option who wouldn't cost at least 50m. With Rangnick saying it's obvious that we need to sign a striker in the summer and that the club needs the best possible CF, it's more a question of who we try to spend that money on.

The only option I can see if we keep Cristiano for another year and love Brereton, bringing him on a free as the backup 9 and then we sign another one the year after to start (if he's okay) or compete with him (if he's great) and we can always sell him off and get the money back.

 

[mavradal]

Alexander Isak is a great option, lots of potential and no doubt costs a lot less compared to Haaland leaving enough in the budget to buy a DM as well.

 

[sullydnl]

Nobody else convinces me. Very tough striker market this summer.

In terms of pure quality, I agree. That's why it's so important that whoever we sign fits the new manager's system, because that's how we'll get value from signing them rather than through their individual quality.

I think of someone like Firmino, who (while a good striker individually) became more valuable to Liverpool because of how he fit into the team around him and helped them become more than the sum of their parts. That's really what I'd be looking for from a CF, someone who helps make the entire team more cohesive and effective by carrying out a specific role within it, even if they're not particularly outstanding when assessed outside that context.

So rather than looking at who is individually the best of all these options, I'd be looking at who does the specific things the team needs. And we're not really going to know what those are until the new manager is appointed.

 

[Red_toad]

Overpriced players who more often than not do not deliver are definitely not "top players".

Any player United sign is overpriced. I'd rather we spend revenue the club generates, than have it go into our grubby owners to pockets. They haven't invested in the stadium, nor tired to reduce the debt, so where else is the money going to go?

 

[NewGlory]

Any player United sign is overpriced. I'd rather we spend revenue the club generates, than have it go into our grubby owners to pockets. They haven't invested in the stadium, nor tired to reduce the debt, so where else is the money going to go?

Not true. Bruno was not overpriced. Neither were Telles or Dalot. We got Varane for free.

 

[Lash]

Hate to break it to people on Isak, but he will not be cheap. Great player though, not sure he's exactly what we'd need though. Feel like we need a bit more physicality.

 

[devilish]

What about Adeyemi?

 

[mavradal]

Hate to break it to people on Isak, but he will not be cheap. Great player though, not sure he's exactly what we'd need though. Feel like we need a bit more physicality.

Cheap or expensive is relative, I doubt anyone expects to get him for peanuts. The idea was that buying Isak for 40m-50m would leave enough to get a good DM also for 50m-60m.

 

[AneRu]

So as I said, top players and top players you have had the benefit of looking o the future and assessing their time here. Certainly in Pogba’s case. It cannot be argued we were signing a top player there either. We could also go the other way and sign players like Fred and VDB, and then complain when they don’t work too.

I think ours is a two prong problem and it's mostly to do with our structure and/or people within that structure. Do we have the right people making decisions on signings and do we have the best environment in which players can thrive to reach their potential? I think the internal environment is too lax and lacks the single minded focus on striving to improve and win.

You can see this with how Rashford, McTominay, AWB, Dalot amongst others have just stopped improving and started declining. It's hard to see a player who has come here and improved on what they were as players - something you could visibly spot with Ronaldo, Rooney and others during Fergie's years (we literally watched Ronaldo evolve into a great goalscorer from a show pony, Rooney turn into a playmaker-striker or Carrick transition into a DLP and all this whilst winning).

So it could be that Pogba wasn't a bad signing he just didn't find the right environment in which to grow. There is no doubt that the commercial side of the club encourages players' visibility on social media and you have to wonder whether there is really room for various things our players are up to at top level football.

 

[lenny_1248]

and no doubt costs a lot less compared to Haaland

He would cost almost as much as Haaland.