Manchester United’s need for a goalscorer can be ascertained from the fact that only four teams have scored fewer goals in the Premier League than them this season.
Ruben Amorim’s first-choice striker Rasmus Hojlund has not scored in 15 games now while the club have managed a meagre two goals in their last four league games.
Amad’s season-ending injury could not have come at a worse time while Alejandro Garnacho’s form in front of goal is another major concern for the head coach to solve.
Amorim was desperate for reinforcements in January but INEOS ending up depleting his resources even further by loaning out three forwards while bringing in nobody.
Striker needed
The head coach wants to reunite with Sporting CP protege Viktor Gyokeres but the Swede seems to be prefer a move to a Champions League club while Victor Osimhen’s wage demands might be beyond the club’s reach.
Liam Delap of Ipswich Town has emerged as a cost-effective option with the Portuguese a fan of the Englishman but Chelsea are also in the running for his signature.
As per Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic, the Red Devils have looked at the former Manchester City star with Jason Wilcox pushing for a deal.
However, should the Tractor Boys survive the threat of relegation, the 20-time English league champions would find it hard to afford the 22-year-old given their PSR woes.
The only way for United to acquire Delap would be if Kieran McKenna’s team go down. Ipswich are currently 18th, three points away from safety.
“It feels like that has some substance to it. From my perspective, they’ve definitely looked at him,” Whitwell said on the Talk of the Devils podcast.
“Jason Wilcox, who is the technical director, was the academy director when Liam Delap was signed for their [Man City’s] academy, they sold him to Ipswich for something like 20 million.
Delap deal possible on one condition
“So a lot of money for a player who hasn’t played in the Premier League before. But what a season he’s having? He scored again at Villa Park, lovely finish, 10 goals in the Premier League now for him, that is some going.
“What I’m told is that if Ipswich go down, the fee would be within United’s finances. If they stay up, maybe not. It’s an interesting dynamic, that one.
“Chelsea are also, of course, all over him, but I feel like that’s a really intriguing sort of prospect, because he fits into that young kind of player that INEOS are after, but he’s got that season of experience, and he is a bulldozing kind of figure, isn’t he?”
The Peoples Person recently relayed that United’s summer budget is a mere £20 million to £30 million without player sales. Delap would cost in the region of £40 million having netted 10 times for Ipswich this term.
Feature image Richard Pelham via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
