Manchester United are looking for a striker this summer to help Erik ten Hag succeed in his first season at the club. With Edinson Cavani leaving on a free transfer and Anthony Martial expected to leave Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only forward left at the club.
United are interested in signing Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a deal that could cost up to £68m. But with Frenkie de Jong and Jurrien Timber – who could cost £115million or more – both on United’s radar, there isn’t much left in the budget for other signings.
With Ronaldo, does it still make sense to spend so much money on a striker who wouldn’t be first choice? MEN Sport look at three strikers United could replace this season for just £40m for their Portuguese talisman:
READ MORE: ‘I’ve never been wrong’ – Man United fans react to Darwin Nunez transfer demands
Taiwo Unyi
While playing for Union Berlin that season, Aouni scored 15 goals that saw the German club qualify for the Europa League. Even more impressively, according to xG’s FBref, this is 14 and this consistency could mean he could score more goals if he were given more shooting opportunities.
But Awoniyi offers much more than just goals; He’s a versatile striker, capable of catching the ball, keeping defenders busy in the box and running backwards to constantly cause problems for the opposition. Germany’s Bild report the 24-year-old could be available this summer for around £21million, a fraction of Nunez’s cost.
Gianluca Scamaca
For a slightly more expensive £34m you could sign Scamka from Sassuolo. In 36 games this season, Skamaka has scored 16 goals and his presence in the penalty area is something Tin Hag looks to in his attackers, although he can also influence the game more deeply through his involvement in build-ups.
Under Ten Hag, the striker needs to be able to create space for the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek to thrive. Could Scamaka be the solution to make this possible?
Brian Bruby/Sebastian Haller
If all else fails, a return to Ajax could be a sensible back-up plan for the forwards who have made Ten Hag successful this season (even if Probe is on loan at RB Leipzig, so far this summer he has yet to sign a permanent deal with Secure Amsterdam). Haller will reportedly be available for £35million and Brobbey could cost as little as £12.7million, according to Bild.
Both strikers, having previously played under Ten Hag, know what to expect from the manager and will hopefully be able to make an effective front line for United. However, given his struggles at West Ham, there will be some question marks over Haller.
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