The five strikers Manchester United are looking to sign in the summer

The struggles of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirzkee this season means that Manchester United will be on the hunt for at least one centre forward in the summer transfer window if not two.

The pair have combined for just six Premier League goals this term, leaving United desperately short of firepower.

Matheus Cunha is expected to be the club’s first major summer signing, but the Wolves man is at his best behind a striker, and United will likely dip their toes into the water to sign a goalscorer.

Below we look at the five strikers United are keeping tabs on as we approach the start of the summer transfer window.

Victor Osimhen

Age: 26
Stats this season: 22 goals in 26 games (0.97 goals per 90)
Club: Galatasaray (on loan from Napoli)
Potential fee: £50m

If money wasn’t a factor, Victor Osimhen would probably sit top of the list for Manchester United this summer.

It’s hard to see him returning to Napoli after a falling-out with the club, but his wages could prove to be a stumbling block.

Fabrizio Romano reported in April that English clubs were being put off Osimhen over his wage demands, wanting approximately £200,000 a week, though that would still be lower than what a number of United’s top earners are paid.

Money aside, Osimhen remains a world-class goalscorer and a proven talent in a top league. While he’s spent the year in Turkey with Galatasaray, the Nigerian has 22 goals in 25 games, and scored six in seven games in the Europa League.

He’ll also press from the front and can operate as a better creator than most out-and-out strikers.

Osimhen ticks more boxes than any other forward option for United who desperately need a proven goalscorer.

They are favourites at 2/1 to sign Osimhen, whose contract expires at the end of next season and could be available for £50m.

Viktor Gyokeres

Age: 27
Stats this season: 38 goals in 30 games (1.35 goals per 90)
Club: Sporting CP
Potential fee: £55m

With 38 goals in two seasons for Coventry, Viktor Gyokeres quickly outgrew England’s second tier. With 67 goals in two Primeira Liga seasons for Sporting CP, Gyokeres now appears to have outgrown Portugal’s first tier.

The positive for United regarding Gyokeres is that the Swede formed a fruitful relationship with Ruben Amorim, and the Red Devils head coach surely holds some sway there. The first issue is how United will be able to convince a player of Gyokeres’s calibre to move to Old Trafford without UEFA Champions League football should they fail to win the Europa League.

The only potential question mark over Gyokeres is that he’s not yet proven himself in one of Europe’s big five leagues, but he has scored goals in the UEFA Champions League and will surely score goals wherever he ends up.

A physical presence, Gyokeres is a relentless worker who can play in a number of centre forward roles.

While Gyokeres is thought to have a release clause of £85m, it is thought Sporting would accept a lower bid of around £55m.

The biggest issue for United is that Arsenal also need a centre forward this summer, and with them in a much better place and guaranteed UEFA Champions League football, they’re favourites to sign the 26-year-old ahead of 5/1 United.

Liam Delap

Age: 22
Stats this season: 12 goals in 33 games (0.45 goals per 90)
Club: Ipswich Town
Potential fee: £30m

In an ideal summer, United would be able to move Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund on and bring Liam Delap in as an understudy to a more established forward.

The club can’t afford to repeat recent mistakes and allow a still-unproven young striker to carry the goalscoring burden for them, but there’s certainly potential in Liam Delap, and his £30m release clause makes him a fairly risk-free option with United 9/4 favourites to sign the Ipswich man.

Considering his size, it’s easy to look at Hojlund and assume he’d offer a notable physical presence up front, but his first touch is poor and is hold-up play isn’t much better, frequently being knocked off the ball.

Delap on the other hand, has proven himself to be a real handful for Premier League defenders, and while his numbers may not look overly impressive, 12 goals for relegated Ipswich is not to be baulked at.

Benjamin Sesko

Age: 21
Stats this season: 12 goals in 30 games (0.48 goals per 90)
Club: RB Leipzig
Potential fee: £60m

While the likes of Osimhen, Gyokeres and Delap are all expected to move this summer – albeit to not-yet-known destinations – Benjamin Sesko appears to be going under the radar somewhat, despite being chased by several clubs 12 months ago.

It has been reported that Sesko would be allowed to leave for around £60m and that Manchester United had opened talks as recently as March, following up on their interest from last summer.

While Sesko is certainly easy on the eye with wonderful technique, his numbers don’t jump out as someone who can immediately transform United’s attack, and he wouldn’t have the luxury of Delap of being able to come in as an understudy.

He ranks 132nd in Europe’s big five leagues for shots per 90 – lower than former United academy graduates Danny Welbeck and Joshua King – 94th for shots on target per 90 and 124th for xG per 90 (minimum 10 90s played) which as a starting centre forward for a top Bundesliga side is underwhelming.

The potential upside is that Sesko has out-performed his xG in both his Bundesliga seasons since making the switch to Leipzig and while that might ordinarily be cause for concern, it may be that Sesko’s ball striking and finishing means he can consistently out-perform his underlying numbers.

Hugo Ekitike

Age: 22
Stats this season: 15 goals in 30 games (0.59 goals per 90)
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Potential fee: £90m

It seems that nearly every top club in Europe is monitoring the situation with Hugo Ekitike and for good reason.

United are one such club, with Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reporting on X that Frankfurt are aware that the Red Devils are seriously considering Ekitike as a potential target this summer.

Reminiscent of Alexander Isak, Ekitike is a rangy striker with good pace and immaculate footwork. The fact he can find the back of the net makes him one of Europe’s hottest prospects.

The Frenchman has enjoyed a breakout season in Germany and while he’s yet to make his France debut, he will surely be a part of Les Bleus World Cup squad next year.

As seems to be the case every year, Frankfurt will likely lose one of their top stars, with Ekitike set to follow the likes of Omar Marmoush, Randal Kolo Muani, Willian Pacho out of Frankfurt – albeit for a significant fee.

Ekitike’s profile has risen so much so quickly that he’s already likely beyond United, who’ll struggle to be able to attract a player without UEFA Champions League football.

Even if they do win the Europa League, Ekitike will have more attractive offers elsewhere, and the reported asking price of £90m is likely out of the Red Devils’ price bracket.

But, if the stars align and the opportunity to sign Ekitike does come up, it will be an opportunity United can ill-afford to pass up.

All odds displayed subject to change or withdrawal.