Manchester United are in the market for an ‘experienced striker’, and a better option than Robert Lewandowski is surfacing.
The striker position was handled well by committee last season, with Benjamin Sesko helped by Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Joshua Zirkzee at different points.
That can’t be the case for four competitions in Man Utd’s opinion, hence their search for an experienced striker to share Sesko’s role.
Robert Lewandowski and Danny Welbeck dominated those discussions so far, but a better alternative is surfacing now.
WHO would be your ideal ‘experienced striker’ for Man United to sign this summer?
Who would benefit Sesko the most…
Man Utd should explore Dusan Vlahovic option
While Lewandowski brings elite mentality and top-level pedigree, and Welbeck brings know-how of the club, they are both on the wrong side of 35.
They are the type of signings the Glazers used to make to kick the can down the road.
Even if the situation is different right now, as Sesko is already here, United can still do better than signing one of the two veterans.
Dusan Vlahovic is all set to leave Juventus on July 1 upon the expiry of his contract, and at 26, could be the sort of market opportunity United should pounce on.
United’s links to Vlahovic are far from new, as he’s been a constant source in the rumour mills ever since he joined Juventus.
His standing in world football has taken a hit by playing in a dark era for Juventus, but even in limited minutes in a struggling team, he has managed to show reliable goalscoring.
This season, he scored a goal or assisted one every 117 minutes, which is elite when playing in a team struggling to create.
At 26, he will be coming into his peak, and his physicality should translate well to the Premier League. His left-footedness also brings a different dimension to the attack compared to Sesko.
United can do a lot worse than exploring the terms of a deal for Vlahovic on a free transfer.
Wages are the only stumbling block to clear
Vlahovic has a lot of green flags over a potential transfer, but there is one big red flag which could spoil the deal, which is his wage.
How much do you think Man Utd will spend in this window?
It can be revealed that £243m will already be leaving Old Trafford this summer…
The Serbian is the highest-paid player in Serie A, ending his Juventus contract earning close to £375k/week.
That would make him by far and away the highest earner at Old Trafford after Casemiro’s departure, which is not sensible business from any perspective.
However, if he is realistic about his prospects, both present and future, then he might forego a higher salary in favour of a signing bonus to help the deal along.
What United save on transfer fees can be given as a signing bonus, settling on a wage of around £200k/week, if possible.
Wages are a huge stumbling block to this deal, especially in light of Ineos’ concerted efforts to trim the bill down. Everything else works out perfectly.
United would not be doing themselves justice if they didn’t even get in touch with him to sound out his demands.
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