Potential striker signings (who aren't named Højlund)

croadyman

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If Ronaldo, Martial, Cavani, Greenwood all go this summer, we will probably need two strikers just as we need two central midfielders in my opinion. I think SHick would be a prudent second choice striker but as our number one I am not so sure, the goal scoring record is just too weak.

Felix is so talented but fee wise he would probably cost more than anyone considering the Haaland/Mbappe situations.

Gouiri is to a degree a gamble, but definately my choice. I remember starting a thread a few years back of the ideal summer and named him then when he was just starting out for Lyon. Was also Upamecano, Bissaka in his first season at Palace, Sancho and ALan Guimaraes. Remember getting slaughtered for making the names up haha...no there reall yis an Alan Guimaraes, wonder what happened to him as not heard of him for an eternity (I do think I named a couple more really iffy ones looking back though)
Yeah and will likely mean that DM & CM are going to end up neglected yet AGAIN
 

captaincantona

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Gakpo for Greenwood’s spot...I have watched extensively (on YouTube) for a long time (since I read The Mirror this morning) and I can confirm (I reckon) he would give us both a creative winger out wide and a target man as a 9 (he is marginally better than what we have)

You can thank me when he wins the golden boot.
 

jesperjaap

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Yeah and will likely mean that DM & CM are going to end up neglected yet AGAIN
Unless Pogba signs a new contract and VDB decides to stay after all (with possibility of Ten Haag), neither of which I expect nor want, I am 100% certain we will actuall sign a midfielder this summer. Still be poor in my eyes as we withougt doubt need two for me
 

Sparky Rhiwabon

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Unless Pogba signs a new contract and VDB decides to stay after all (with possibility of Ten Haag), neither of which I expect nor want, I am 100% certain we will actuall sign a midfielder this summer. Still be poor in my eyes as we withougt doubt need two for me
I don’t think it matters if Pogba or VDB stay as neither of those are the type of midfielder we need
 

davidmichael

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I’d be happy to see Nunez, Gakpo and Nkunku all come in this summer alongside Rashford, Sancho, Elanga and Diallo with Ronaldo, Cavani, Mata and Lingard all possibly going and the uncertainty over Greenwood.
 

jesperjaap

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I don’t think it matters if Pogba or VDB stay as neither of those are the type of midfielder we need
Yes, I completely agree with that statement. But of course if they were to stay, its two more places in the squad, two more lots of wages etc etc, we definatley wouldnt sign two then, you could even have concern for one coming
 

sherrinford

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No. Yet that has no relevance to what we are discussing. Our team isn't thriving because we don't have a gelled compatible first team starting cb pairing. We still don't have a starting natural defensive midfielder to help balance the midfield. Plus our attack is comprised of players who not only haven't played together for long. Have had Sancho settling in, Rashford in the worst form of his life and a returning Cr7 trying to hold it together. Whilst Cavani is awol with injury and fate has robbed us of greenwood who could have comfortable addressed Rashford's shocking slump..



As for what we are disccussing. Sancho is flying along side a 37 year old CR7 dropping deep. No ifs buts or maybes. So it makes no sense to claim he'd suddenly be worse of with a Kane type aged 25-29 doing the same things.

Second, its Rashford's awful form that's the issue here. Not having a 9 that drops deep. Sancho will always be the creative wideman who can strethch play with pace if need be. Meaning the winger/wide attacker on the opposite flank should be more direct. Elanga shows what Rashford simply no longer does any more. Greenwood would have shown it better but fate has him out the lime light. It has absolutely nothing to do with needing a speedy, bulldozing 9. Having one would still not compensate for Rashford's awful performances. Nor make us as a team play any better that our squad does now


Not forgetting our biggest problem in attack for years has been not being able to consistently stretch teams on both flanks. We though buying Sancho would address that. But he has just proved another left side attacker. Leaving us still with a mostly dead right flank. Save for when Elanga or Greenwood start with a Dalot.



Rather What we actually need to do is get this current useless Rashford as far away from the team as possible. Sancho has found his niche on the left. Now we need a direct attacker on the opposite wing to him doing the business. Now that we have lost greenwood. We can as well go and sign a Raphinha type as elanga develops
I am not claiming Sancho will be worse off playing alongside Kane - I am saying he will be better alongside a Haaland/ Cavani/ Drogba or a Torres/ Eto'o/ Villa/ Vardy. And I'm saying he won't bring the best out of Kane/ a Kane type. Sancho is not going to be running in behind with the same effectiveness or frequency that Son does.

We are really talking about the same issue - the lack of a willingness to stretch the play and offer a direct, penetrative threat in the front three. Contrary to what you are saying, that doesn't have to come from the right though. Yes, Rashford should be providing some running power and yet he is not, and yes, Elanga has come in and shown the pace, energy and movement that Rashford has been either unwilling or incapable of injecting into the side. The youngster has had a really positive impact precisely because he provides what others in the team do not. So it's very strange to say our issues have nothing to do with not having a 'speedy, bulldozing 9' - it of course does, because our difficulties in stretching the play could be addressed with a conventional central striker. It's not like it would be outside the norm to have a 'proper' no.9, and though there are certainly more recent examples of 'false' 9s like Kane, Ibrahimovic, Berbatov, Firmino or Messi, it's most definitely not the default for that position. For the same reason, it's also untrue that having a traditional striker would not go some way to compensating for Rashford's poor performances - logically it would, as the striker would be providing some of the things Rashford is not and that the side is otherwise lacking. Look at the impact Cavani had when fitness permitted him a run of fixtures last season - he provided the team with another dimension in the same way Elanga has.

Even if we were to go with Elanga, Rashford's form picked up on that side of the pitch or we brought in a shiny new direct right winger, I would still say a player with a more regular interpretation of a centre forwards role would be better for the team than a player, like Kane, who constantly looks to drop into the hole. Even strikers like Lewandowski or Van Nistelrooy, who excelled more with their back to goal during build-up play and who - though they 'could' run in behind - you wouldn't say threatened the space behind the defence consistently, still gave depth to the attack by playing against the centre backs rather than converging on the ball all the time. I would rather the striker left those spaces between the lines for Sancho to move into with or off the ball (and helped create said spaces by stretching the game).

I am also excited by what I have seen of Diallo, and haven't really considered any potential buys for the right wing. I like the prospect of Sancho and Diallo on each wing. Nice symmetry. And I would like us to buy a centre forward to facilitate the use of those two. Simply, like the idea of that more than seeing either Rashford or Elanga on our right side.
 

We Need Another Rebuild

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Dawin Nunez is looking like my number 1 Target

Fast stretches the play,
Good Link-up play
Aerial Threat
Right age profile

Looks a modern day complete Number 9 which we desperately need
 

LawCharltonBest

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Would love a striker in Tevez's profile.
Thing I remember most fondly about Tevez was that while he wouldn't score as many goals as Ronaldo or Rooney, the goals he did score were usually goals that won us games or earned us points. I love a player who scores important goals.

When we need a goal now, nobody really has the bottle to deliver regularly.
 

SparkedIntoLife

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I’d be really concerned by Osimhen’s injury history. Napoli always charge way over the odds for players too.

Gakpo looks intriguing. He signed a new deal very recently so I don’t expect him to leave this Summer. Think he’ll have another season at PSV and maybe be moved more centrally as a striker (he’s been playing on the left so probably not the most suitable for us right now).

I like Nunez a lot but there’s a fair few mixed reviews on him. I think some of it is based on a mediocre first season at Benfica but he’s gotten much more confident and decisive this season.

My ‘mate’ Charles De Ketelaere has just suffered a dislocated shoulder so may be out a few weeks and probably will need surgery. Should be fine for the Summer though. More people will join the CDK bandwagon soon. We must sign him.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Osimhen will cost minimum €80m plus adds on since Napoli signed him for €70m plus €10m adds on. I guess you could see the fees is good value as good long term striker signing.
 

Andrew7582

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Osimhen's goalscoring record isn't good enough for that sort of money, compare his record in italy with Lukaku's for example. He wasn't even prolific in france either. Napoli overpayed for him and will want their money back and then some, not worth it.
 

SAF is the GOAT

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Manchester United are interested in Núñez and if they were to meet the demands that will be set by Benfica, then a deal can be carried out with relative ease. @Record_Portugal #MUFC
Don't know if this source(Portuguese I think) reliable or not but I do remember its name when we wanted Bruno
 

Devil may care

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Napoli paid €70M for Osimhen which seems overpriced and they'd want at least a €20M mark-up on that from us, the deal makes no sense budget-wise. Alexander Isak is a talented footballer but not very prolific, like Richarlison from Everton.

Romano mentioned the other day that we may look at Nkunku as a striker option, as @Invictus said, he's a Swiss army knife of an attacker.



There's a links to Darwin Nunez today coming from Portugal, we've had a number of dead-end Benfica links in the past but here's a look at him, not great technically and a tad cumbersome but looks quick and physical.



I know a lot here like Jonathan David, he looks a bit raw and awkward to me but he's done reasonably well for Lille over the last couple of seasons.



Patrick Schick has had 3 solid seasons in the Bundesliga with 20 in 20 this season, but I've seen a few comments that he's not physically cut out for the PL.

 

Rolaholic

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Nkunku would definitely be a good shout given Ralfs RB links...

 

JohnnyLaw

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Nkunku would definitely be a good shout given Ralfs RB links...

As talented as he is, he’s not really a striker is he?
I’d really prefer someone who could fill a lone forward role effectively, something a player like Nkunku shouldn’t be expected to do.
 

pocco

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Nkunku is such a good, all round player. In the video above he looks like a natural CF of a high level, but I've seen him play in midfield and look equally as impressive there, carrying the ball past players, creating with his passing. He's got it all. I'm sure everyone will be in for him.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

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I'm in two minds, I like pace in my striker but also love a huge lad who can bully centre backs. Schtick is a big lad right?
 

lenny_1248

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Can someone explain to me this Schick hype? He flopped in Serie A, was not doing anything special in BL before this season. He's 26.
Why in the hell United should buy this average player?
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Can someone explain to me this Schick hype? He flopped in Serie A, was not doing anything special in BL before this season. He's 26.
Why in the hell United should buy this average player?
Probably because Ralf likes him. Ralf can spot good talent considering lot of players Liverpool signed (Matip, Konate, Firmino, Mane, Keita) were Ralf's babes.
 

Charrockero

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It's absurd Haaland is not a real target when you spend $80 million on Maguire or $75 million in Sancho. Cristiano's was "free" but his wages should be super expensive, for a 36 yo guy.

Anyways, IMO Nkunku or Patrick Shick could be reasonable options. I would bring both.
 

reddevilz007

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Front 3 of Sancho, Nkunku and Nunez would be nice.
I can see a lot of interchanging between them.
 

Sparky Rhiwabon

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I’ve hinted at this a few times recently but the whispers that Lewandowski could be our next stopgap striker are starting to become a bit more audible