Manchester United have been linked to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and their director has now broken silence on his future amid “concrete interest”.
Manchester United have already targeted several centre forwards this summer, amid rumours that both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee could leave on loan.
Liam Delap was the early target this summer, with Jason Wilcox looking to reunite with the striker from their time together at Manchester City.
However, the former Ipswich Town centre forward chose to join Chelsea instead of United, perhaps due to his relationship with Enzo Maresca.
Attention then turned to Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, but both of these Premier League players look more likely to play as attacking midfielders under Rúben Amorim.
With a No.9 still needed, United began to look at Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen, but both centre forwards may stay clear of the Red Devils due to a lack of Champions League football.
United enter the race for Ekitike
Florian Plettenberg has revealed that United have now turned their attentions to Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike after his impressive 22 goals and 12 assists season.
United join Chelsea and Liverpool, who have already expressed their interest in the centre forward, but Frankfurt are believed to be holding out for £85 million.
In response to claims that Ekitike could leave, Frankfurt’s sporting director, Markus Krösche, told the Wiesbadener Kurier: “If the price isn’t right, then he’ll just stay with us. We don’t have to sell Hugo.”
United may be able to fund a deal if they are serious about the Frenchman, with the potential departures of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, along with other first-team players.
The transfers of Cunha and Mbeumo are coming from the original budget and other player sales are supposed to funding these other deals, with United also interested in a midfielder.
United ready to spend big
Despite the absence of Champions League football, United have shown that they are willing to spend big this summer, with Cunha already being purchased for over £60 million.
Mbeumo’s transfer fee looks like it too could be over £60 million and if Ekitike joins, that will mean Wilcox will have spent £200 million, a fee that didn’t seem possible while Sir Jim Ratcliffe was cost-cutting.
The sales of Garnacho and Rashford could fund up to £100 million, if United stick to the prices they have set for the two left wingers.
Antony and Jadon Sancho could also add to Amorim’s transfer budget, but they are unlikely to raise the same kind of money as Garnacho and Rashford.
Even then, there are still some doubts about whether United will be able to spend more than £70 million for a striker after the additions of Cunha and Mbeumo.
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