Done Deal: Manchester United signed 20-year-old aggressive striker on six-years deal- Medical already completed and official announcement is tomorrow
Plenty of Premier League clubs have been looking to sign a striker this summer, and Manchester United are no different.
However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are feeling the ramifications of a woeful campaign, slumping to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League and missing out on European football altogether after losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Ready to dip into the transfer market, Ruben Amorim’s side have already been foiled in their bid to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, the rising striker instead joining Chelsea after his £30m release clause was activated.
More recently, the Red Devils have been bruised following news that Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyökeres does not want a reunion with Amorim but instead has his heart set on a move to Arsenal.
United have already hit the jackpot in signing Matheus Cunha, also engaged in talks with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, who has reportedly expressed his preference to move to Old Trafford. But a number nine is desperately needed, with Rasmus Hojlund falling by the wayside last term.
The latest on Rasmus Hojlund
When Manchester United signed Hojlund from Serie A side Atalanta in July 2023, they acquired the services of one of Europe’s most talented young strikers. The £72m fee certainly reflected that, with talent scout Jacek Kulig even naming him a “monster in the making”.
But this monster has sadly been tamed by the rigours of English football, with his second season in the Premier League leading to a lowly return of only four goals across 32 matches.
Content creator Rory Jennings called him “one of the worst footballers” he has ever seen, although this is rather harsh; the Denmark international is simply at a low ebb, having fronted a malfunctioning United system.
Even so, the 22-year-old would probably be best served with a change of scenery, and Inter Milan are reported to be doing everything they can to bring him back over to Italy.
While the likes of Gyokeres may not sign for Man United this summer, there is another striker set to move who could prove a big upgrade on Hojlund.
Man Utd chasing new striker
According to GIVEMESPORT’s Ben Jacobs, Man United are awaiting talks with Dusan Vlahovic’s representatives as the centre-forward seeks a route out of Juventus this summer, though they will need to offer him wages of around £200k per week.
It’s understood that the Old Lady have failed to convince the Serbian to agree to a new long-term deal, and as a result, he’s been offered to United, Spurs and Aston Villa. Previous reports suggest that he could arrive for a shrewd £25m fee.
Saying that, there is plenty of further interest in his signature, with Newcastle United previously revealed to be leading the race.
Why Man United should sign Dusan Vlahovic
Vlahovic has had something of an up-and-down career with Juventus, never quite reaching the heights that saw him arrive in Turin from Fiorentina, but he’s still a fantastic striker who could reboot his career with a summer switch.
Once regarded as the “new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Juve star, who is still only 25, needs to rediscover his finest form quickly as his prime years approach.
But the proof is in the pudding, and he’s showcased a high level before. Given the bloated nature of the modern market, United could probably do a lot worse than snapping him up on the cheap and marrying him with wide forwards Cunha and Mbeumo.
Despite his issues, Vlahovic still ranked among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for touches in the attacking box and the top 11% for total shots taken per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his natural instinct.
He might not have the 97-goal return of Gyökeres across the past two years, but the Serbia star has arguably been playing at a higher level, and his robustness and cheaper value could see him prove an astute piece of business from Jason Wilcox and co.
Gyökeres might have the better track record over the past few years, but at least Vlahovic has gained a wealth of experience in one of the biggest clubs in one of Europe’s top five leagues, notching 87 goals and 17 assists across 202 Serie A outings.
Moreover, Juventus paid £67m to sign Vlahovic from Serie A rivals Fiorentina in 2022, after he had emerged on the scene with prolific performances to behold. This erstwhile valuation stands as a yardstick of his ability, and maybe Amorim feels he could succeed in recapturing that at the beginning of a new journey in Manchester.
Even last season, with Juventus struggling initially to find attacking fluidity under Thiago Motta’s wing and Vlahovic restricted to only 21 league starts across the season, he still returned ten goals.
His season-and-a-half in Italy’s top flight with Fiorentina is not an outlier but rather an illustration into the potential that the 25-year-old could yet realise. He’s physical. He’s dynamic. He’s explosive.
Such facets are also attributable to Gyökeres, who has been labelled a “powerhouse” of a striker by analyst Ben Mattinson. Thus, Vlahovic is a man who has what it takes to hit the ground running under Amorim’s wing.
Sure, the risk of it going wrong is there, but isn’t this the case for any centre-forward hailing from abroad? At £25m, he’d be a steal.
Would United prefer a more goal-proven striker in Gyökeres, who understands Amorim’s tactical vision? Likely so. However, Vlahovic has been hailed as a “real superstar” by reporter Andrew Cesare, and a change of setting might just see him rise back to the fore along with the Theatre of Dreams.
