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One look at the highlights reel from recent games will show how badly Manchester United are missing a ruthless finisher with most crosses and balls into the box not being attacked adequately.
Anthony Martial, who has been leading the line in the last few games, always seems to hang back on the edge of the box instead of trying to make a darting run close to the six-yard area.
This is a clear indication that the Frenchman is not suited to the No 9 role as is the case with loan signing Wout Weghorst and a new signing is likely to be made in the summer.
United’s complicated striker hunt
Manager Erik ten Hag is hell-bent on changing this and the club’s top targets include Tottenham’s record goalscorer Harry Kane and Serie A top-scorer Victor Osimhen of Napoli.
The Red Devils will be aware of the difficulties in dealing with both Daniel Levy and Aurelio De Laurentiis and have naturally kept a list of backup options ready.
According to 90min, United have two lists of striker targets — “ready to go” and “project players” with the first list containing the more experienced and expensive options while the latter has the young and upcoming names.
“Kane and Osimhen, along with Dusan Vlahovic and Lautaro Martinez, of Juventus and Inter respectively, are considered more expensive options considered “ready to go” and able to nail down the centre forward role from the start of next season.
“The second bracket of striker is filled with younger options, or “project players”, with potentially cheaper transfer fees but room for improvement.
“Benjamin Sesko fits into that category, while Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus is still being considered. Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund, Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos and Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez also feature,” the report clairified.
Sesko still being scouted by United
Benjamin Sesko‘s name remains on United’s radar and they continue to scout him in games with a view to offer him a contract should they fail to agree a deal with their priority targets.
Both United and Newcastle had their scouts watch the Slovenian at the weekend play for RB Salzburg and there is still a chance that he might move to one of Europe’s elite clubs even before he dons the RB Leipzig jersey next season.
Leipzig, who had agreed a €24m deal with their sister club, are set to make a substantial windfall in case the 19-year-old does end up making a move in the summer.
It will be interesting to see what short of striker United end up getting and whether that deal will have any bearing on the club’s pursuit of a midfielder, centre-half and goalkeeper.
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