After six long and arduous weeks of trying, it looks as though Manchester United are finally set to announce their second landmark signing of the summer.
Matheus Cunha arrived rather swiftly at the start of the window but since then it’s not been plain sailing for Jason Wilcox and Co. However, a breakthrough in negotiations was reached with Brentford a few days ago to seal the signing of Bryan Mbeumo for a fee of around £71m.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Sunday that the winger had arrived at Carrington to complete the formalities of a move to Old Trafford.
Yet, United aren’t done there with a new centre-forward being earmarked by the recruitment team.
Man United's pursuit of a new striker
With Rasmus Hojlund scoring just four league goals in 2024/25, it’s abundantly clear that Ruben Amorim needed more firepower.
Mbeumo and Cunha will certainly provide that but they’re not out-and-out centre-forwards.
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Nicolas Jackson is, however, and reports this weekend suggest that the club has held talks with the player’s agent over a potential move. Considering his hit-and-miss form at Chelsea, this isn’t one that is likely to excite Man United supporters.
Viktor Gyokeres’ name will, though. It’s been widely expected that the Swede will move to Arsenal this summer but with Amorim at the wheel, United have stood a chance of securing a player who played so well under the Portuguese at Sporting.
Well, it’s still a move that could come to fruition with reports from Portugal this weekend reporting some exciting news as far as United fans are concerned.
It suggests that with Arsenal’s move stalling, the Red Devils have leapt into the race again and are said to be ‘very close’ to reaching an agreement on a fee for the attacker.
It’s alleged that United are willing to pay just over €70m (£60m) to bring the player back to England.
Despite all of that, Romano has made it clear that the striker is still giving his priority to Arsenal.
Why Viktor Gyokeres could be Man United's answer to Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak’s name has been a hot topic this week with Liverpool laying down a statement of intent.
Indeed, The Athletic’s David Ornstein suggested that the Premier League winners were ready to do a deal at around £120m, but Newcastle United insist that he will not be going anywhere this summer.
That’s understandable considering just how good he was in 2024/25. The Swede found the net on 27 occasions in all competitions and scored 23 in the league, only second to Mo Salah.
In short, he was really rather impressive, showcasing exactly why some, including analyst Raj Chohan, think that he is “the best striker in the world.”
Well, if a player with 27 goals is up there as the best, so is Gyokeres. Described as “the best finisher in the world” by analyst Spencer Mossman and as a “monster” by journalist Alex Turk, there are not many better at hitting the net with such regularity as Isak’s fellow countryman.
Once of Coventry City and Brighton, Gyokeres has done it before in England, but it’s in Lisbon, Portugal, where he’s really found his footing.
On the way to winning the Portuguese league title last season, he scored 39 league goals in 33 games and beat the goalkeeper on 54 occasions in 52 outings across all competitions. That backed up a scintillating 2023/24 term in which the Sweden international bagged 43 in 50.
Like Isak, he’s incredibly prolific, and they do share some similar traits, notably in their ability to carry the ball long distances and run the channels.
Goals
1.25
0.75
Assists
0.22
0.20
Shots on target
2.12
1.34
Key passes
1.96
1.34
Progressive passes
2.18
2.88
Successful take-ons
1.92
1.37
Progressive carries
4.26
2.71
Aerials won
1.15
0.85
Signing a player with little experience of the Premier League is always a risk, but with United simply needing more firepower, if they could hijack Arsenal’s move for Gyokeres, it would be a serious statement of intent.
Long have they needed their answer to someone like Isak, a pure out-and-out goalscorer, a powerhouse forward. In Gyokeres, they’d surely find that.
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Manchester United’s huge activity within the transfer market looks set to continue despite a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.
ByEthan Lamb