Man Utd's 5-man summer striker shortlist as Ten Hag pulls out of Kane transfer

14 June 2023 , 21:25

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Manchester United have pulled out of the race to sign Harry Kane (Image: Getty Images)

Manchester United are not expected to sign Harry Kane this summer due to the threat of long and tedious transfer negotiations.

Tottenham chief Daniel Levy is a tough negotiator and will not sell Kane, who turns 30 next month, on the cheap. United want to complete their signings early in the window after spending most of last summer trying to land Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

United need a new striker after allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to leave the Old Trafford in November. Erik ten Hag signed Wout Weghorst on loan in January, but the Netherlands international has now returned to parent club Burnley and will not re-join United.

Levy's stance on Kane has forced Ten Hag to compile a new transfer shortlist, with five players - including a global superstar - on his radar. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at each of those players and assess United's chances of luring to them Old Trafford.

Rasmus Hojlund

Rasmus Hojlund could join Manchester United (Getty Images)

The Demark international, 20, is now looking like Ronaldo's long-term successor in Manchester. Hojlund, who scored 16 club goals in all competitions during the season just gone, recently described United as a "huge club" and expressed an interest in joining them.

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Hojlund still has four years remaining on his Atalanta contract but is the cheapest option on Ten Hag's shortlist, expected to cost between £40million and £60m. Yet throwing him in as United's first-choice striker is a huge risk, as he falls into the unproven category.

Randal Kolo Muani

Randal Kolo Muani has impressed in Germany (Getty Images)

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The Frenchman, 24, is best known for missing a golden opportunity in the dying seconds of last year's World Cup final - forcing Emiliano Martinez into one of the most famous saves in history - but has just completed a superb campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Kolo Muani scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists in the Bundesliga and has admitted it would be his "dream" to play for one of Europe's biggest clubs. Yet the prolific star, who still has four years remaining on his contract, will cost a lot more than Hojlund.

Frankfurt chief Alex Hallmann has said: "When I look at the international market, I imagine a different number than €90m (£78m) – more than this. He has a long-term deal. My absolutely ideal scenario would be that he stays with Eintracht."

Goncalo Ramos

Goncalo Ramos made a name for himself in Qatar (Getty Images)

Another expensive option is Ramos, who hit the headlines in December after scoring a hat-trick for Portugal against Switzerland at the World Cup. The 21-year-old snatched Ronaldo's spot at international level in Qatar - could he do the same at Old Trafford?

It will take an offer of around £100m to persuade Benfica to sell Ramos, which might prove too costly. That is a lot of money for a player who scored 19 league goals at Benfica this season just gone - seven fewer than Darwin Nunez managed the year before.

Victor Osimhen

Victor Osimhen led Napoli to the Serie A title (Getty Images)

The Nigeran international, 24, is one of the hottest strikers in Europe right now after scoring 26 league goals to fire Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years. He also found the net five times in the Champions League, proving his European pedigree.

Yet Napoli do not want to sell Osimhen, who still has two years left on his contract. The Italian champions will reportedly demand €150million (£128m) for their prized asset, which United are unlikely to stump up.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe could leave Paris Saint-Germain (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

The most outrageous name on the list, United have suddenly become linked with Mbappe after the World Cup winner, 24, refused to extend his contract until June 2025. Paris Saint-Germain will look to sell the player if a deal is not agreed before July 31.

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United need Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani's Qatar-backed takeover - and the seemingly unlimited wealth that will bring - to be finalised before the end of the transfer window to have any chance of signing Mbappe. Right now, that seems unlikely.

Sheikh Jassim is still to be named as United's preferred bidder, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and other rivals still in the frame. Even if the Qatari banker gets the nod, he will need to complete the Premier League's directors' and owners' test before completing a deal.

PSG will demand at least £150m for their prized asset if they decide to sell up. Mbappe, who will most likely join Real Madrid, is not a realistic option for United right now, as their recruitment team will try to land one of the other four targets early in the window.

Yet Mbappe could find himself on United's radar if a takeover is completed and Ten Hag suddenly has a war chest to spend. Stranger things have happened in the Premier League.

Tom Blow