It’s no secret that Manchester United prioritizes bringing in a striker this summer, with the transfer market set to begin in just three days.
Erik ten Hag’s first season was a success, and during that time, a lot of development was done. United hopes to make even more progress in 2023–24. Ten Hag’s transfer budget needs to be more flexible in order for that to happen.
The Dutchman wants to strengthen a number of sectors within his team, but because of the continuous uncertainty around the possibility of a takeover, he might not have the money to do so. However, it is believed that money has been set aside so the former Ajax manager may sign the striker he so urgently wants.
This summer, Ten Hag’s top priority is to bring in a top-tier striker, and as the Manchester Evening News reported in March, he has identified Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur as his top target. Although the England captain is entering the final year of his contract and the United manager is rumored to be “obsessed” with him, the Reds are assuming that Spurs won’t move the 29-year-old this summer.
Victor Osimhen, Rasmus Hojlund, Randal Kolo Muani, Goncalo Ramos, and Mohammed Kudus are just a few of the strikers that United have wisely chosen as options and who they believe will improve their attacking output. The aforementioned five players are all top-notch athletes who would breathe new life into United’s arsenal of attacking possibilities.
But just like any other team, United cannot afford to make the incorrect investment when it comes to signing a high-priced striker. Strikers demand high salaries and must perform if they are to be signed for a significant transfer fee.
The Napoli star Osimhen is most likely the closest player on United’s shortlist to Kane in terms of being referred to as a world-class operator. While Kolo Muani and Kudus are significantly older and have reached their individual peaks, Hojlund and Ramos, with whom Ten Hag has spoken, are still young and have plenty to learn.
On paper at least, Osimhen appears to be United’s next best choice if they are unable to get Kane. He recently had a standout season in Italy, scoring 31 goals in 39 games across all leagues and helping Napoli capture their first Serie A championship since 1990. Having said that, his stock is increasing quickly, which means that his value and reputation are also increasing quickly.
United might therefore be compelled to look more closely at one of the other candidates on their shortlist depending on the amount of their budget. The Eintracht Frankfurt star Kolo Muani, who registered 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, has been closely watched by the Reds.
He signed a pre-contract deal with the Bundesliga team last year before his contract at Nantes expired, and he had a great season in his first season there, contributing 40 direct goals. Kolo Muani was Frankfurt’s top goal scorer and an important part of their aggressive style, much like Osimhen was at Napoli this season.
Given that they each had 32 league appearances this season, the metrics can be nicely compared, but it’s vital to recognize that their respective leagues differed from one another. Kolo Muani outscored Osimhen in metrics like dribbles per 90, attacking actions per 90, and assists per 90 even though he did not score as many goals.
Ten Hag prefers his attackers to link play and participate in the build-up, which explains why he is so keen to get Kane, who is not just a fantastic goal scorer but also an architect. Over the past three seasons, the star for the Spurs has 32 assists across all competitions.
Kolo Muani is a talented attacker who, like Harry Kane, can create opportunities and bring others into the game with deft passes and excellent game reading. During the 2022–23 season, he outperformed Osimhen in every passing metric.
The Frenchman’s ability to link the play to a high quality is evident from his average of 13.32 successful passes per 90, 0.68 successful crucial passes per 90, and 0.94 successful passes into the final third per 90. This is especially evident from his total of 17 assists this season. Kolo Muani’s passing metrics were somewhat better than Kane’s in comparison, although the Frenchman did make more crucial passes per 90 this season.
In light of this, Kolo Muani is a similar type of player to Harry Kane in that he enjoys including others in play and serving as the focal point of offenses, although scoring eight more goals than Osimhen did in 2022–23.
By all accounts, Osimhen might provide a stronger assurance that United will score the goals they require, but Kolo Muani might be a less expensive choice. He cannot be disregarded, for sure.
