Manchester United have been tipped to sign a wildcard option upfront after failing to secure the signing of Liam Delap for Ruben Amorim.
With the transfer window approaching, Manchester United are already working behind the scenes to secure early additions ahead of the summer.
Matheus Cunha is reportedly close to joining the club, potentially becoming Ruben Amorim’s first signing, with more attacking reinforcements expected to follow.
Following a season where goals were hard to come by, United are prioritizing improvements to their frontline, with a new centre-forward high on the agenda.
Liam Delap had emerged as a key target, but recent reports have revealed that the Ipswich Town striker has opted to join Chelsea instead.
United have been informed of Delap’s decision and are now turning their attention to alternative options in the market.
United tipped to sign wildcard striker after Delap failure
While there are several obvious choices for United to try and pivot towards following their failure to sign Delap, such as Viktor Gyökeres or Patrik Schick, there are also some other options.
The Manchester Evening News have tipped Bundesliga striker Jonathan Burkardt as a “wildcard” option for Amorim, with the Bundesliga striker being just £17 million this summer.
It was noted that Burkardt already plays in a 3-4-3 system at Mainz 05 and he enjoyed a successful season last term, scoring 19 goals and grabbing three assists.
He could perfectly slot into the striker role in Amorim’s system but it was stated that Eintracht Frankfurt are trying to push for a deal, although United would certainly turn his head if they entered talks.
United must be smart this summer
Not many United fans would be aware of Burkardt’s name but that isn’t often a bad thing. Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven were similarly unknown to the fanbase when they arrived.
United are in desperate need of some Premier League proven experience but they also don’t have unlimited funds and have to be smart in their transfer business.
Burkardt is not as inexperienced as Rasmus Højlund or Joshua Zirkzee were when they arrived at Old Trafford. The 24-year-old has made almost 150 appearances for Mainz since coming through the youth system.
If the Reds can secure the additions of Cunha and potentially another Premier League star like Bryan Mbeumo, then they could end up signing a lesser name like Burkardt upfront, with the likes of Højlund and Zirkzee to support.
Even then, with Burkardt having such a low price tag, United could pounce on another market opportunity and have two striker signings, which is probably what they actually need.
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