Dread it, run from it, the need to sign a long-term striker arrives all the same.
For three years Manchester United have dodged around the need, with various half-solutions which have only delayed the inevitable.
In 2019 United sold Romelu Lukaku for a fee of £74 million. Lukaku signed in 2017 for £75 million at the age of 24. He was supposed to still be leading the line now.
Instead after just two seasons Lukaku wanted out, the manager was happy to oblige, and fans were keen for him to leave too. It simply didn’t work out, and the Belgian’s underwhelming displays for Chelsea this season are a reminder of why.
What nobody expected at the time, was for United to spend three years dancing around the issue of a finding a replacement, not for Lukaku, but to find a long-term striker solution, which Lukaku represented.
Everything but signing a young striker
United originally hoped Anthony Martial could reclaim his place as a leading centre-forward. For one year he made it work. Then the following two seasons he slipped back into a weaker position in the squad than ever before, losing his place. The way his own performances regressed were the principle reason for this.
Odion Ighalo was signed on a loan deal as an emergency striker, an admission early on that United were short in the position.
Subsequent short-term moves were made to sign Edinson Cavani, now 34, and Cristiano Ronaldo, now 37. There is a chance both players will leave the club in the summer, along with Martial.
United of course hoped that long-term Mason Greenwood would also step forward. This plan now looks set to be abandoned.
United now finally ready to act
It was widely reported over the weekend Manchester United will now target a young striker in the summer.
Interim boss Ralf Rangnick spelled it out, quoted by ESPN: “Edinson’s contract is running out in the summer, and the club needs the best possible centre forward. This is an obvious one. I think everyone is aware of that.”
BBC Sport list Erling Haaland as a top target, and to be fair United did try to sign him once before, they just did not have a viable alternative.
This time Lautaro Martinez, Alexander Isak and Patrick Schick are named as possible alternatives, while A Bola claims United have scouted Darwin Nunez, and another credible contender is Lille’s Jonathan David.
The club’s transfer inactivity in January saw Dusan Vlahovic removed from the list of possible solutions.
After standing aside for so long, United need a reliable striker. Sadly Ronaldo no longer is that player, even if he hits another purple patch, he’s 37, and these spells without a goal will become more frequent.
The key is signing a young forward, one in the 22-26 age range who can spend the next five to ten years leading the line if it all goes right. Hopefully the club don’t make another short-term move and go big on Harry Kane, which The Telegraph suggests is an option if Mauricio Pochettino becomes manager.
United have put off this decision for too long, and stop-gap solutions for players in the latter stages of their careers should not be considered. Finally it seems, United are prepared to accept this strategy needs to be taken.
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