Manchester United will almost certainly try and sign a new striker in the summer.
After bidding farewell to Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of last year and losing Mason Greenwood through suspension, Erik Ten Hag has found his striking options relatively limited this campaign.
Forced to bring in Wout Weghorst on loan from Championship Burnley, the Netherlands international has struggled to lead the line with the 30-year-old scoring just twice in 18 appearances in all competitions.
Consequently, had it not have been for Marcus Rashford’s remarkable form which has seen him enjoy his best-ever season in terms of numbers, the Red Devils would be in a much worse position than they are now.
However, regardless of Rashford’s form, Ten Hag is still expected to prioritise a new forward once the summer transfer window opens later this year, and according to journalist Ben Jacobs, the club’s shortlist is actually quite a long one.
One player the Red Devils have been strongly linked with is Benfica hitman Goncalo Ramos, who Stretty News identified as a future star three years ago, and Jacobs has explained how the striker’s current contract and why he failed to leave Portugal last summer.
“Ramos, who has a release clause of €120m, almost joined PSG last summer. But Benfica held out for close to €45m, which was seen as too high at the time,” Jacobs wrote in his CaughtOffside column.
“At the same time, several Premier League clubs looked with differing degrees of intent, including Manchester United, Newcastle, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton and Nottingham Forest.
Going on to weigh in on the 21-year-old’s chances of moving to Old Trafford this time around, Jacobs added: “It’s no surprise therefore to see Ramos linked again with a move to Old Trafford. But Ramos himself has actually been expecting a new deal at Benfica. Rui Costa is yet to provide one. The 21-year-old would gladly stay another season for the right terms.
“Manchester United are looking at several strikers. It’s more a long list than a short list. As a result Ramos, a bit like Tammy Abraham, is there but not necessarily right at the top.”
Since being promoted to Benfica’s first team in 2020, Ramos, who has three years left on his deal, has scored 38 games and registered another 14 assists in 95 games in all competitions.
