Manchester United need another striker to ease the burden on Benjamin Sesko’s young shoulders.
The Slovenian is currently recovering from an injury he sustained towards the fag-end of last season, as a result of which Joshua Zirkzee has been afforded the chance to start as the No.9 in both pre-season games so far.
The Dutchman did score a splendid goal against Rosenborg last week, and his link-up play is among the best in the squad, but he is not a ruthless finisher.
That is what Michael Carrick needs ahead of United’s return to the Champions League, and INEOS are keen to rectify that.
Joshua Zirkzee out, new striker in
They are open to moving the Netherlands international on and want to replace him with an experienced striker.
Former United hero Danny Welbeck was the preferred choice, but the Englishman is heading to Chelsea instead.
Dusan Vlahovic has emerged as a surprise option, but the Serbian has multiple suitors chasing his signature, while his wage demands are also substantial.
It is well known by now that United’s co-owners prefer Premier League-proven options, which led the club to Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Ollie Watkins is one to watch out for
There were reports that Unai Emery’s side were open to the Englishman’s sale for £40 million, but i Paper have rubbished those claims.
They have claimed that even if the team from Birmingham sell the England international, he is likely to cost more than what the 20-time English league champions can afford.
“If Joshua Zirkzee does leave, one source added United could look for an experienced striker to come in on a short-term basis, similar to the role Wout Weghorst fulfilled during his loan spell a few years ago.
Villa will demand a substantial fee
“Ollie Watkins is another striker United have been monitoring for a while, though Aston Villa are unlikely to sell for anything like the sort of fee the Red Devils would be willing to pay.”
The 30-year-old has a contract at Villa Park until 2028, and last season, he netted 21 times in all competitions. It makes sense for Villa to value him higher than the reported £40 million.
Feature image Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
