Manchester United need a new striker this summer, and with deals for Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen looking more complicated than initially thought, the club may have to look elsewhere
Manchester United have made a promising start to the summer transfer window, securing Matheus Cunha early and actively pursuing a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.
While both players would bolster the squad in advanced midfield roles, the pressing need for a proven centre-forward remains.
Rasmus Højlund struggled to make an impact last season, and although Joshua Zirkzee showed promise before the injury he picked up towards the end of the season, he often operates more effectively in a deeper position.
Several strikers have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, but with Liam Delap now at Chelsea, and deals for Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyökeres looking like harder deals to pull off than initially thought, United have been looking elsewhere at a number of attacking options, and they’ve now got an update on another highly sought after striker.
Frankfurt issue statement on Ekitike amid United interest
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is the latest striker to be linked with United, as the club have been left frustrated in their search for a new no.9. United were interested in Delap, who ended up signing for Chelsea, and now it looks like Gyökeres favours a move to Arsenal.
They’re now interested in a move for the 22-year-old, who enjoyed a breakout season in the Bundesliga. Frankfurt, however, has a history of generating enormous profits for their forwards, with players such as Omar Marmoush, Randal Kolo-Muano, and Luka Jovic all leaving for sizeable fees.
According to The Mirror, the German outfit have slapped a minimum fee of £60 million on the young forward, but Frankfurt are under no pressure to sell the Frenchman. However, club chief Markus Krosche has admitted that, if Ekitike were to indicate he would like the move, they would not stand in his way.
“If the price isn’t right, then he’ll simply stay with us. We don’t have to sell Hugo,” Krosche explained. “He’s one of the most interesting strikers on the European market. Hugo has to decide that. I’m glad we have him. If he decides otherwise, that’s our motto: If a player develops faster than us, we let him go.”
According to various reports, Ekitike is open to the move to United this summer, having admitted publicly that he has been a fan of the club since he was young.
Is Ekitike the right player to go for?
There is no doubt that the 22-year-old is a very talented striker, having scored 15 goals and assisted eight in 33 games in the Bundesliga, which has seen him emerge as one of the best up-and-coming strikers.
As mentioned earlier, Frankfurt’s history of selling forwards for large fees is impressive, but their performances after leaving the German side have suffered drastic downturns. Kolo Muani joined PSG for a reported £77 million fee, but only managed eight goals in 36 games across one and a half seasons.
Sebastian Haller joined West Ham for £45 million and only managed 10 goals across one and a half seasons.
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Haller had scored 15 goals and assisted 9 in the season before joining West Ham, and Kolo Muani had also scored 15 goals and assisted 11 in the season before he left.
While Marmoush’s move to Man City seemingly bucked the trend of ex-Frankfurt players experiencing a downturn in form after making a move, there is also the age factor to consider.
What United need right now is an experienced striker. While Ekitike’s talent is evident, it remains to be seen if such a young striker can handle the pressure of being United’s starting striker.
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