Manchester United: 3 striker alternatives to Cody Gakpo

That familiar old story of Manchester United chasing after their manager’s number-one target before missing out has happened again.

It seemed an inevitability under the current ownership, who are reportedly aiming for a sale in the first quarter of the new year. This shouldn’t be an aim, but a necessity or else United fear being left behind rival clubs ahead of next summer.

On Boxing Day, PSV Eindhoven announced they had reached an agreement to sell their star man Cody Gakpo to arch-rivals Liverpool, a player who was long admired by manager Erik ten Hag.

Gakpo is a fantastic talent, having already scored 13 times for PSV this season, as well as netting three times for the Netherlands at the World Cup earlier this month.

The Dutchman certainly knows where the goal is, and there will be disappointed Manchester United fans in disbelief as to how Gakpo has been allowed to move to Anfield rather than Old Trafford however, the 23-year-old is someone who favors operating from the left rather than a central position.

Read More: Erik ten Hag reveals criteria for potential January signings at Man United

United’s problem for a number of years has been lacking a deadly centre-forward who can serve the club for several seasons. Gakpo may have ticked the box for the latter, but he certainly isn’t a number nine.

Here are three alternatives that would be ideal for Ten Hag’s Manchester United:

Victor Osimhen

At 23 years of age, signing Victor Osimhen from Napoli would be a huge statement from The Reds.

Since switching to the Italian giants in the summer of 2020, Osimhen has managed to hit double figures in each of his three seasons at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Last term, the Nigerian bagged 18 times in 32 games, having already scored 10 goals in 14 this season as Gli Azzuri aim to win their first Serie A title since 1990.

Should they bring the Scudetto back to Naples, it’s quite likely Osimhen will play a huge helping hand in the club’s success.

Standing at 6’1”, Osimhen is an old-school, classic number nine who possesses the ability to hold the forward line on his own.

Though Osimhen has the knack of scoring from inside the 18-yard box, the former Lille man is often involved in build-up play, showing his all-round quality.

There aren’t many better striking options in world football than Osimhen, though his injury record throughout 2022 has been worrying.

Ivan Toney

Only Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have scored more Premier League goals in 2022 than Brentford’s No. 17.

Toney has netted 19 times this calendar year, with 11 of those coming this season.

The 26-year-old is often Brentford’s saviour in attack, and Toney is certainly someone who doesn’t shirk a challenge, relishing playing up against the bigger teams in the league.

Ivan Toney's game by numbers vs. Man City:

100% shot accuracy
50 touches
10 touches in opp. box
9 duels won
7 aerial duels won (most)
6 shots on target (most)
5 passes into final ⅓
4 x possession won
2 clearances
2 goals
1 through ball

👉 😤 👈 pic.twitter.com/431RTLHHLq

— Squawka (@Squawka) November 12, 2022

The Englishman scores all types of goals, finding the net with spectacular free kicks as well as boasting an almost perfect penalty record, having only missed one in his career against Barnsley in 2018.

Should Ten Hag want a striker with great link-up play and a real fox in the box, he should look no further than Toney, though the striker does currently have an FA investigation clouding above him regarding breaches of betting.

Gonçalo Ramos

Similarly, to Gakpo, Ramos is a name on most football fans’ lips after the close of the Qatar World Cup.

It has been reported by The Athletic that Ramos is on a shortlist of forward options of interest to Ten Hag.

In just his second season of senior football, Ramos already has 15 goals to his name this campaign for Benfica, with four of those coming in the Champions League qualifying rounds, but it was the 21-year-old’s hat-trick for Portugal in the round of 16 against Switzerland that brought a lot of attention to the striker.

Portugal boss Fernando Santos put his faith in Ramos, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Benfica man showing the world what he’s all about.

Benfica don’t often entertain small fees for their influential players, as seen last season with the sale of Darwin Nunez, so should Ramos make any move to the Premier League, he is expected to cost a hell of a lot of money.

Final verdict

All three player players listed above suit Erik ten Hag’s system, with the trio all being pure, central strikers.

Victor Osimhen is a player who scores goals wherever he goes, also showing his goalscoring ability in the one season he spent in France.

As for Toney, he is a Premier League-proven striker, and the transition period would be expected to be more plain sailing than what it might be for Osimhen or Ramos should they move to England.

Ramos would be an enormous risk for United, especially considering the player’s lack of experience, and expected price tag.