Which of Manchester United’s five striker transfer targets suits Erik ten Hag the most?

One of the top priorities for Manchester United this summer is a new centre forward, a reliable top-quality striker that fits Erik ten Hag’s requirements.

Many names have been thrown around by Manchester United fans and media alike. Several names have come up more than others: Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane, Gonçalo Ramos, Benjamin Šeško and Mohammed Kudus.

Summer target strikers #mufc have been linked with so far:

• Harry Kane
• Victor Osimhen
• Benjamin Šeško
• Gonçalo Ramos
• Mohammed Kudus

— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) January 21, 2023

These are all very good footballers with different qualities alike. Here, UtdDistrict offer an overview of each player, and a verdict as to whether or not they are right for United.

Victor Osimhen

My number one pick for the summer, Osimhen perfectly fits the mould of an Erik ten Hag striker. An absolute man-mountain with the power of a freight train, Osimhen bullies every centre-half he faces with no exception.

His physical qualities stand out, and he uses these so intelligently. Often you do not see big man centre forwards who are so intelligent in how they use their bodies but Osimhen is one of the best around.

Off the ball, he moves with great intelligence. Be it in transition or in a packed box, Osimhen will always occupy the right spaces and will always work his socks off to win the ball and score. This combined with how he leverages his size and speed makes him a scary goal threat. Out of possession he does not shy away from his pressing duties either.

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In his three seasons at Napoli, including this current season, he has scored 36 Serie A goals with zero penalties taken or attempted, averaging 0.69 goals per 90 minutes (this season averaging 0.93). His underlying numbers show this to be a sustainable rate, averaging 0.63 xG/90 across the three seasons (0.66 this season, indicating he might have a slight drop off soon). In the Premier League, only Erling Haaland (0.79) and Darwin Núñez (0.76) rank higher for non-penalty expected goals (Stats via Fbref).

Osimhen is not without flaws though. His injury history is slightly concerning for a 24-year-old, having had quite a few already in his career. He is also not the strongest link player, and whilst this is not crucial in an Erik ten Hag team it is important to be able to get the ball under control and lay it off when players flood between the lines. It is also an important aspect of Anthony Martial’s current dynamic with Marcus Rashford. Osimhen is capable of this though, and it is far from a deal breaker.

Harry Kane

The biggest name on this list, and the most romantic option for most United fans. Harry Kane has always been a player that fans have longed for at Manchester United, having been one of the world’s best in his position for a number of years, only bettered by some of the greatest strikers to ever play the game.

Kane is a surefire guarantee of goals, he is a deadly finisher who also excels aerially and his movement off the ball is very strong. Should he assume penalty duty, you can trust him to dispatch them most of the time too.

In possession, his ability to bring other attackers into play is fantastic and especially will get the best out of an already-thriving Marcus Rashford, who he plays with for country. Sometimes he can drop too deep, or drop when he is not required to, but his all-around striker play is strong.

The issue with Kane is the timing. He turns 30 in July and has been playing first-team football since the age of 17, and Premier League football since 21. During this time he has racked up a lot of mileage, whilst also having a few injury problems.

In the last three seasons, as well as this current one, he has played in quite low-intensity sides with their game and his game being very transition-focused. Physically and tactically, this is a world apart from Erik ten Hag who likes his team to press high and play with real intensity whilst dominating possession. It is a very big jump to make, especially at this stage of Kane’s career where his legs are starting to go.

Kane would not be a bad signing, but he would be a very short-term signing made with an emphasis on winning immediately. I fear that the ship for him has sailed, and if this is the case then United should not swim to it.

Gonçalo Ramos

A hat-trick and assist in the World Cup round of sixteen put his name on the map, but Gonçalo Ramos has been absolutely killing it all season for Benfica.

A physically strong, intense, hardworking & intelligent centre-forward with a knack for sniffing out loose balls and cutbacks within the box, Ramos would be a fantastic fit in Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United side. The 21-year-old has 11 goals in 14 games in the Primeira Liga this season, sitting as the division’s top scorer.

The Portuguese forward also has a strong ability to facilitate, having often played as a number 10 to accommodate Darwin Núñez last season at Benfica. Sometimes he is not the strongest with his back to goal but for the most part, he is fine and aged 21 still has time to develop. Tactically he will have no issues moving from Benfica to Old Trafford either.

His ability to sniff out and meet cutbacks so often will be a huge plus for Erik ten Hag as it is his preferred method of creation and he will be looking to implement it into this United side. Ramos’ ball-striking ability is good with both feet and he can finish well in the channels.

Ramos might be an expensive option knowing how Benfica operate when selling players, but so will Osimhen and if he is deemed unattainable then Erik ten Hag needs to catch the first flight he can to Humberto Delgado Airport.

Benjamin Šeško

Šeško became very strongly linked with United in the summer but the Slovenia international ended up remaining at Red Bull Salzburg, the same club where Erling Haaland made his name known to the rest of Europe.

A 6’4 physically strong player who plays with a lot of intensity, Šeško physically fits the mould of a Ten Hag striker well. He is solid enough technically and can strike a ball very well – going viral for an absolute screamer against Sweden in the Nations League a few months ago – although is quite an inconsistent finisher right now. Aerially he wins a lot and he gets a lot of opportunities because of his clever box movement.

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Still aged just 19, Šeško would be more of a project signing and there are doubts as to how much impact he could make right now. He has five goals in the Austrian Bundesliga this season for Salzburg having started 12 games, which is respectable but not glamourous.

As an option to develop and be an understudy should someone like Kane be signed, Šeško would not be a bad signing. But United have young talents such as Charlie McNeill who is a very promising youngster and United should look internally first.

Mohammed Kudus

Mohammed Kudus would be a very good signing for Manchester United… Just not as a centre forward.

Kudus is an extremely talented player who has showcased the ability to play in multiple positions at a very high level. Operating as something of a false nine for Ajax often this season, Kudus has thrived. But he is at his best as a number ten or out wide, able to operate between the lines. This maximises his ability to turn with the ball so well, no matter how much pressure he is facing, and dribble whilst also picking out clever passes.

Ten Hag is also not looking for a false nine, he only ever used one at Ajax in some UEFA Champions League games and for the most part worked with more traditional centre-forwards of the mould that the others in this article fit. Kudus is not the player United should look to for a new striker.