Manchester United will have to act quickly to secure the signature of Samu Aghehowa after Arsenal added the Porto star to their shortlist of strikers for the summer transfer window, according to reports.
The Red Devils and the Gunners ground out a 1-1 draw on Sunday which laid bare both sides’ need for a centre-forward, and the long-term United target has now popped up on Mikel Arteta’s radar.
Spanish outlet Fichajes claim that Aghehowa has been added to Arsenal’s list of seven potential reinforcements for their forward line, which could spell bad news for Ruben Amorim.
The United boss was lucky enough to work with the prolific Viktor Gyökeres in his previous job at Sporting CF, where the Swede has netted 39 times in 40 games so far this season.
But he is now relying on Rasmus Hojlund as his only out-and-out senior striker, with Joshua Zirkzee, despite starting to find some form, showing more and more that his strengths don’t lie as a potent goalscorer.
He has six goals from 42 matches this season, while the Dane is deep in a goal drought having last netted in December against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.
It was in that competition where United got their first taste of the power and precision of Aghehowa, who bullied their centre-backs in the thrilling 3-3 draw at the Estádio do Dragão.
He scored twice in that match and so far has 18 more goals in all competitions for Porto, who currently sit third in the Liga Portugal.
It’s therefore no surprise to learn that the Red Devils are not his only Premier League suitors – Fichajes report that “several” sides from the English top flight are interested in the player.
These teams are thought to include Newcastle United and Aston Villa, while Chelsea were frustrated in a well-documented pursuit of the striker last summer as he eventually opted to join Porto.
Amorim’s top-shelf choices for a new centre-forward seem to be Gyökeres and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who is currently out on loan at Galatasaray.
But recent reports suggest that United may turn to Aghehowa instead of the free-scoring Nigerian, seeing him as a more attainable option.
However the Old Trafford outfit approach the summer they are sure to bring in a goalscorer and could do a lot worse than the Porto man, but if Arsenal’s interest is genuine they may have a fight on their hands to bring him on board.
Featured image Octavio Passos via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
