Manchester United must prioritise signing a striker when the transfer window opens this summer.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been devoid of a prolific goalscorer ever since Romelu Lukaku was not replaced after his move to Inter Milan.
Anthony Martial has stepped up well this season, scoring 11 goals in 22 Premier League starts. The 24-year-old’s goal record cannot be criticised, but there are question marks over whether he can deliver on a consistent basis.
Since Odion Ighalo has arrived at the club, Solskjaer has reiterated his importance in offering a focal point to the team and acting as a poacher in and around the box.
Ighalo’s loan spell has been fruitful, but he is certainly not the long-term answer in the Norwegian’s rebuild and his impact demonstrates how United could benefit from a number 9 that boasts even more quality.
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According to James Robson of the Evening Standard, Solskjaer has identified a number of possible striker targets to bolster his attacking options.
While the club missed out on the sensational Erling Haaland to Borussia Dortmund in January, they may have dodged a bullet in again having to work with disruptive agent Mino Raiola.
And there are plenty of other talented striking options that fit the criteria, including two forwards in the Premier League.
Harry Kane and Raul Jimenez are both being monitored by Solskjaer, and he also holds an admiration for Lyon forward Moussa Dembele and RB Leipzig hitman Timo Werner.
We feel Dembele and Werner are the more attainable options in this shortlist of names noted by the Evening Standard.
While Kane could be the perfect striker in Solskjaer’s system, he would cost most of, if not all the summer transfer budget and the club would be forced to play ball with notoriously tough negotiator Daniel Levy to prize away Tottenham’s star asset.
Jimenez, meanwhile, is an old-fashioned centre-forward and has impressed hugely in the Wolves resurgence under Nuno Espirito Santo.
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But Wolves would be in a very strong negotiating position as well; we expect the Midlands club to demand north of £50m for the 28-year-olds signature.
Timo Werner, 24, is one of the most deadly strikers across Europe and has netted 21 times for Leipzig in the Bundesliga this term. He is largely expected to leave Germany this summer.
Dembele, meanwhile, has experience in England at Fulham and has scored goals wherever he has been in his early career. The 23-year-old has scored 16 times in Ligue 1 this season and offers Solskjaer the complete package in a centre forward.
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