Having only landed PSV Eindhoven’s Memphis Depay so far this summer transfer window, Manchester United fans know that Louis van Gaal has plenty more rebuilding work to conclude by the time September comes around.
Red Devils fans would love to see their club land another top class central defender plus a striker to replace the now departed Radamel Falcao who endured a terrible loan spell at Old Trafford last term.
It does look as if United are close to solving their central midfield dilemma after The Mirror led with reports that Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin is close to becoming van Gaal’s second major purchase of the summer.
While some Red Devils fans are claiming that van Gaal is a little slow on the uptake so far this summer, the Dutch boss is clearly choosing his transfer targets very carefully and this is something he’ll have to do with genuine top quality forwards which are a rare commodity this summer.
With Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all looking for striking reinforcements as well this summer, it will not be an easy game to land a top quality striker without competition and this is why United fans would rather one was signed up sooner rather than later.
But in a market whereby these players are hard to come by at the minute, just who should the Red Devils be targeting?
We’ve compiled a list of five strikers that van Gaal and United should be inquiring about this summer, if they haven’t done so already. Do you agree with our selections?
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 strikers that Manchester United should sign this summer.
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Harry Kane
Yes, he may have just endured a terrible European Championships tournament with the England Under-21 side in which he didn’t register a single goal but don’t forget that Harry Kane was one of the biggest success stories of last season.
A few weeks back, the papers were awash with reports that Harry Kane was being prioritised as United’s main transfer target this summer with some reports claiming a package worth up to an astounding £50 million was being prepared.
While inflated prices for English players are now commonplace, this fee is simply outrageous but we don’t think it should put Manchester United off who could secure Kane for a price below that outrageous fee.
During the recent European Championships in the Czech Republic, Kane looked a yard off the pace and ultimately, he could be forgiven for that having just endured a scintillating breakthrough campaign, not to mention featuring on Spurs’ end-of-season tour of Asia and Australia.
Clearly a fatigued pro at present, Kane’s movement and goal haul set him apart last season so it’s no wonder United are reportedly interested.
Carlos Bacca
A couple of days ago, The Mirror claimed that Liverpool transfer target Carlos Bacca was being trailed by Manchester United to boot.
The Colombian has been a consistent goalscorer for Sevilla in recent seasons while bagging a brace in last season’s Europa League Final, making him more of a household name with worldwide audiences to boot.
The interesting thing here is that more recently, the Liverpool Echo have claimed that Liverpool are closing in on a move for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke, seemingly allowing United more of a clearer path to move for Bacca.
With Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie representing the other striking options at Old Trafford, Bacca would represent a decent third attacking addition and lets face it, he couldn’t be worse than his fellow Colombian Radamel Falcao was, can he?
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema’s current situation at Real Madrid can be described as being in limbo with Los Blancos fancied to make a swoop for Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero at some point during the window.
Having always been in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo in his time at the Bernabeu, surely Benzema would be surplus to requirements if Rafael Benitez managed to get his hands on Aguero.
With Arsenal interested too, Manchester United may have to take a gamble in waiting for the Aguero interest to intensify before timing a swoop for Benzema to perfection.
Red Devils fans admit this would be a gamble however with Manchester City clearly not interested in parting with their talisman so easily, not to mention the fact that Robin van Persie can’t be relied upon regarding his fitness.
If he did become available throughout the summer, Benzema is undoubtedly a higher calibre arrival than the likes of Kane and Bacca.
Alexandre Lacazette
The talk surrounding a transfer for Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette has died down in recent weeks but don’t rule out the prospect of it intensifying once more.
Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have also been credited with an interest in the French international who won the Golden Boot in France last season, striking 27 goals in 33 Ligue 1 appearances.
Prising him away from Stade Gerland this summer will be no mean feat with Jean-Michel Aulas always driving a hard bargain and that is probably why talk of a transfer has died down in recent times.
Nevertheless, if Lacazette is on the move this summer, the feeling is that one lucky club will be receiving a player who is quick, hungry and embarking on the peak years of his career.
One to watch United fans.
Edinson Cavani
The future of Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani has to and fro’d more times than we care to remember but every now and again, he continues to be linked with Manchester United.
We saw in the case of one shaggy-haired South American at Old Trafford last summer that despite previously being billed as world class, Radamel Falcao was ultimately a failure and to be brutally honest, how many crunch fixtures has Cavani impressed in, in recent seasons?
Still considered to be a truly world class striker by many, it would take an incredible fee to prise him away from the Parc Des Princes this summer but as United showed last summer with the £60 million transfer of Angel Di Maria, they are a force to be reckoned with in the transfer market.
Add to the fact that the likes of Nani and Javier Hernandez represent good bargaining chips in their pursuit of bigger deals and the prospect of Cavani making a switch could become a reality nearer to the end of the window.
