Josh King’s injury would make United move a gamble

Add as preferred source on Google

Now that the Bruno Fernandes transfer saga is finally over, Manchester United have seemingly turned their attentions to signing a new striker.

Erling Haaland was the long-term target who looks set to improve further in future, but now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to be eyeing a short term fixes.

The Telegraph report that Solskjaer tried to sign another of his countrymen Josh King from Bournemouth but the Premier League strugglers rejected the bid.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports report that United could go back with a second bid, indicate that he is more plausible than some of the other strikers being linked.

Solskjaer tried to engineer reunion

Solskjaer was a coach with the reserves when King came through at Old Trafford 11 years ago.

The report says United thought a deal to bring King back to Old Trafford was one they thought they could get done.

But Bournemouth have apparently offered resistance, which is understandable given they are in grave danger of relegation and need all the firepower they can get.

There’s no indication of how much United were willing to pay to re-sign King but there looks to be no hope of a deal.

Injury makes King bid a gamble

Solskjaer needs a striker to help ease his injury crisis but King is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Premier Injuries predict he will return in late February, which wouldn’t be much good for a United side who need firepower now.

King’s familiarity with the club might mean he needs less time to bed in but he would still need time to get up to full sharpness and to become accustomed with his new team-mates.

And what if he suffers a setback? His goal record stands at just three this season.

Hamstring injuries cannot be rushed and the bid to re-sign King was a risky gamble from Solskjaer, which does not look to have paid off – yet.

• Sir Alex Ferguson’s approach to Lisandro Martinez proves why ‘writing off’ Man Utd star is now premature
• The Man Utd coach connection behind Tynan Thompson’s big career accomplishment
• Michael Carrick could still implement Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd ‘plan’ for post-World Cup, he saw it in action
• Godwill Kukonki now has extra motivation to sign a long-term Manchester United deal
• Senne Lammens already knows how to conquer his World Cup setback and answer is in his first Man Utd words