Manchester United supporters are feeling pretty f*cking good right now after pulling off a triple swoop in less than 48 hours, but as with everything, they are coming back down to earth with a bump.
The club’s midfield might be a far cry from the days of Tom Cleverley and Anderson, but their strike force is lacking and given Robin van Persie’s holiday, sorry, decision to continue his career in Turkey, Louis van Gaal now knows he needs to seek striking reinforcements.
While Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos continues to take Manchester United fans on the number 26.8 bus around the scenic route of the transfer window, stopping off at Nicolas Otamendi, Mats Hummels and Marquinhos along the way, United are desperate for a forward, and Van Gaal has the option of bringing in a world class name like Edinson Cavani or going for a relative unknown on the cheap.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at five players who could join Rooney in leading United’s line next season.
Edinson Cavani
The name that has been most heavily linked and the one that United fans seem to want most of all.
During his time at Napoli, Cavani set the world alight, but things have not gone to plan since his move to PSG and the forward has seen his star fade ever so slightly.
After his Copa America shame and a couple of seasons playing second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cavani is desperate for a move, it’s just up to United and Van Gaal if they want to take the gamble and sign him.
Romelu Lukaku
Like a pretentious London hipster who is too big for their boots, Romelu Lukaku would surely jump at the chance to depart footballing purgatory at Everton for life back at the top with Manchester United.
After all, back in February, the Belgian international infamously claimed he wanted to get back to playing for a ‘bigger club like Chelsea’. That’s gratitude for you.
With top quality strikers in short supply this summer, perhaps an out-of-the-box type signing such as this is something Louis van Gaal might have to resort to come deadline day.
Harry Kane
Spurs are a selling club, make no mistake about that.
Kane is a top forward and could very well be looking to further his career – and with United eyeing Hugo Lloris as a potential David De Gea replacement, a double swoop could be on the cards.
Those such as Phil Neville, or @Fizzer18 as he unashamedly likes to be known on Twitter, have already commented on the potential deal being a sound addition to United’s playing staff, if not fantastic business and on the surface, given the goals Kane scored last term, it’s hard to disagree.
It would surely take at least £40 million to bring Kane to Old Trafford, although according to most Spurs fans, if Sterling is worth £49 million, Kane is worth £60 million, and you wouldn’t bet against Daniel Levy to extort it.
Alexandre Lacazette
In the last week or so, how many people have you spoken to who have pretended to know all there is to know about Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette?
Your answer is probably in double figures, and the details Liverpool fans ‘know’ about Firmino would be put to shame if United looked like closing in on Lacazette.
When you take the cold hard facts, the French international scored 27 goals in Ligue 1 last season, unsurprisingly winning the Golden Boot in the process.
A player who’d add to most squads in Europe right now, there are still those who claim 27 goals in France is no guarantee that he’ll prove a success in England.
But that’s a bit like saying if you’ve passed your driving test in England, you’re completely and utterly incapable of driving anywhere else abroad. Of course you can.
Saido Berahino
Can we all just forget about his drunk driving misdemeanour and just put Saido Berahino’s off-field troubles to the back of our memories, because at the heart of it, he’s a very decent player – and all the better for getting rid of Aidy Ward.
For whatever reason, the neutrals and the headline-grabbing tabloids that feed their brains have refrained from linking Berahino to any of England’s big boys this summer and if they have, it’s only been a small story on a slow news day.
With strikers sought after by so many clubs this transfer window, it’s strange that Berahino hasn’t been talked about so much as a viable option for the likes of United.
Perhaps United would rather stray away from troubled stars such as Berahino, but after all, it was he who struck a rare winning goal for West Bromwich Albion away at Old Trafford in an almost interview-type situation back in 2013/14 which really marked him bursting onto the scene.
