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While there are a few areas of the team that need to be addressed in the summer, Arsenal are most desperately in need of attacking reinforcements.

Specifically, the club must sign a new striker, as with Gabriel Jesus set to be out until the new year, Mikel Arteta’s only option up top for the start of next season will be Kai Havertz.

Moreover, even when the German was fit earlier in the season, it was clear that the Gunners were not scoring enough goals to seriously challenge Liverpool in the Premier League.

As a result, they need to bolster their forward line in the summer.

Arsenal's striker search

Fortunately, the club look ready to address this problem at the end of the season, and if reports are to be believed, one of their key targets, who has been compared to Kylian Mbappé, has now set his sights on joining Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a recent report from Spain, Newcastle United star Alexander Isak has made it clear that he wants to join Arsenal in the summer.

The Swedish international, who has been a target of the Gunners for some time now, wants to join a side capable of winning the league and views the North Londoners as just that.

However, the report claims that Liverpool are also keen on the striker and that to let him go, the Magpies will demand a potentially record-breaking fee from the Gunners, which other stories from earlier this season claimed could be up to £150m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Isak’s unreal ability, one well worth fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Mbappé.

How Isak compares to Mbappé

So, before addressing the other reasons why Arsenal should go all out to sign Isak this summer, it’s worth first examining this comparison to Mbappé and where it comes from.

It primarily stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Frenchman is the fifth most similar forward to the Swede.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, goal-creating actions, tackles won, aerial duel win percentage and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.78

0.75

Key Passes

1.54

1.53

Goal-Creating Actions

0.57

0.40

Tackles Won

0.22

0.20

Aerial Duel Win %

32.2%

33.3%

However, a comparison to one of the best players in the world is obviously not the sole reason Arteta and Co should break the bank to sign the former Real Sociedad star.

In fact, the most significant argument for bringing him to the Emirates this summer is his utterly sensational output.

For example, in just 33 appearances, totalling 2613 minutes, the Solna-born marksman, whom teammate Anthony Gordon dubbed the “best striker in Europe,” has scored 23 goals and provided five assists.

That means he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.17 games, or every 93.32 minutes, which is the sort of output that could clinch the title for Arteta’s side next season.

Ultimately, Arsenal need a new number nine this summer, and while he will undoubtedly cost a king’s ransom to get out of Newcastle, they should be doing all they can to secure Isak’s services.

Arteta has found a "sensational" Hale Ender who's Arsenal's new Smith Rowe

The incredible talent will be a superstar for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 25, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are considering making a bid to sign a 20-year-old Brazilian after sending scouts to watch him live in action, according to a new report.

Wolves eye two new strikers

The Midlands side moved a step closer to Premier League safety over the weekend after claiming a 2-1 win over Southampton, a win that sees them nine points clear of the bottom three. Vitor Pereira is keen for his side to finish the job, but already plans are slowly being put in place ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Cunha replacement: Wolves considering move to sign £55m star for Pereira

Wolves now have their eyes set on signing a player they are already familiar with.

1 ByBrett Worthington Mar 18, 2025

It’s been recently reported that Wolves are preparing a £5 million bid to sign Riquelme Fillipi from Palmeiras this summer. The 18-year-old has been a regular scorer this season, and Wolves are continuing to secure his long-term future as they turn to the Brazilian market once again.

Fillipi is not the only striker who could arrive at Molineux this summer, as according to a report from TEAMtalk, the Premier League side are considering a move to bring Diogo Jota back to the club.

It is claimed that Jota could be allowed to leave Liverpool at the end of the season should they get a fee of £55 million, and while Wolves are weighing up the situation, they are keeping a close eye on any developments.

Wolves consider bid to sign a 20 y/o target

This summer has the makings to be a busy time for the Midlands side, as according to Brazilian outlet Vozes do Gigante, relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves are monitoring defender Victor Gabriel and have not ruled out making an offer for him.

The report states that the Premier League side have taken notice of Gabriel’s performances for Internacional, where he is currently on loan from Sport Recife. He’s played 12 times this term, and Wolves have sent scouts to take a closer look at the 20-year-old in action.

A Wolves official was in attendance at the Estádio Beira-Rio to watch Gabriel live on Sunday as Internacional took on Gremio. The Brazilian defender lasted 77 minutes before he was taken off due to an injury he picked up.

It is claimed that the Brazilian side want to buy Gabriel on a permanent basis, and Wolves’ emerging interest could now speed up their process to secure a transfer. Despite Internacional wanting to sign him, it is still claimed that offers could arrive from Europe in the summer, and it hasn’t been ruled out that Wolves won’t make an approach.

Apps

12

Goals

1

Clean sheets

0

Balls recovered per game

11.0

Dribbled past per 90

1.1

Clearances per game

3.1

Errors leading to shots

3

Gabriel joining Wolves would see him join a side that are lacking depth in the centre-back area of the team. The Midlands side do have Toti, Emmanuel Agbadou, Nasser Djiga, Santiago Bueno, Bastien Meupiyou, and Craig Dawson. However, the latter’s contract expires at the end of the season, and therefore, Gabriel could be seen as a long-term replacement for the Englishman.

Liverpool may be Premier League champions in waiting, but that is not set to stop Arne Slot from showing the door to a number of players this summer as he reportedly gets ruthless.

Liverpool transfer news

Out of all the clubs in need of a clear-out this summer, it seemed unlikely that the side sitting top of the Premier League would get a mention. Yet, as the transfer window approaches, it looks as though Slot has seen enough in the case of several players who sit outside of his strongest line-up. Planning a summer overhaul, the Dutchman could officially stamp his own mark on the Reds in what should be a frightening prospect for the rest of European football.

It wouldn’t be the first time that those at Anfield decided to sell before they buy either. In fact, they famously used the big-money sale of Philippe Coutinho to build the squad which went on to write themselves in the Liverpool history books under Jurgen Klopp.

Now, at the beginning of a new era with a number of assets seemingly heading for the exit door, the Reds could cash in to hand Slot the same opportunity that was sent Klopp’s way many moons ago.

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool could now sell as many as five players this summer on a combined salary of £390,000-a-week, which would reduce their wage bill and free up plenty of room for improved reinforcements.

Liverpool struck gold on star whose value has risen 253% since Slot joined

This rising talent could become one of the best in the business over the coming years.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 10, 2025

The players in question at threat of being moved on are Harvey Elliott, Diogo Jota, Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa in five departures which would likely get mixed reactions from those at Anfield.

Liverpool planning summer overhaul

For the likes of Kelleher and Chiesa, summer moves certainly make sense. With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving and Alisson Becker staying put, Kelleher could fall even further down the pecking order, and he has already made his plans to become a starter no secret. Chiesa, meanwhile, has struggled for game time since arriving last summer.

The same can’t be said for Endo, Jota and Elliott, however. Starting with Endo, the Japan international’s brief cameos have become the recognised symbol for the finishing line in Merseyside, with his assured, duel-winning strength becoming more and more important as the season has progressed.

Elliott, meanwhile, represents the future of Liverpool’s frontline. Already an experienced player despite being just 21 years old, the winger handed Slot a timely reminder of his quality when he scored a last-gasp winner with his first touch from the bench against Paris Saint-Germain in the Reds’ first-leg battle.

The case of Jota can be argued either way. At his best, the forward is one of the most clinical players at Slot’s disposal but his own injury history has stood in his own way at times. With Darwin Nunez’s future already in doubt, however, questions could be asked about whether Liverpool can afford to lose two strikers in one summer.

So, although Slot will be keen to mark his stamp on his side once and for all, Liverpool should act with caution before beginning to dismantle what is likely to be a title-winning side.

Chelsea are in talks to sign a Brazilian wonderkid who is already playing first-team football at the age of just 16, according to a new report.

Chelsea acting early in the market as Denner Evangelista set to sign

Chelsea made a new signing over the weekend in the form of Brazilian full-back Denner Evangelista, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Blues have agreed to pay £11.5 million for the 17-year-old. Romano said that Denner is soon to sign a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, but that he won’t join his new club until 2026 after he turns 18.

Denner is just the latest in a growing-line of Brazilian youngsters to have joined the club in recent years, including Deivid Washington, Andrey Santos and Angelo. Most notably, young winger Estevao – who is widely regarded as one of the best young talents in world football – will join the Blues in the summer, having agreed an initial £29 million move to West London back in June.

Thanks to his sensational displays for Palmeiras this season, the 17-year-old’s impending arrival has many a Chelsea fan excited, who are hoping he can bring some much-needed dynamism in the final third for Enzo Maresca’s side.

Blues also in transfer talks for long-term target Gabriel Mec

Clearly not content with the signings of Denner and Estevao, according to Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Chelsea are now also pursuing the signature of Gremio attacking midfielder Gabriel Mec. Bailey claims that the Blues tried and failed to land Mec, 16, last summer, but are now once again in talks with Gremio and are hopeful they can secure a deal.

Chelsea are said to be pushing hard to land Mec, who is already playing first-team football at the Arena do Grêmio, having been handed his debut by manager Gustavo Quinteros earlier this year. They will face competition from Barcelona, however, who are also keen on the youngster.

Mec is represented and Neymar’s father, Neymar Sr., and has already been compared to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star by analyst Ben Mattinson.

“Neymar-esque play-style and comes from the same academy (Grêmio) as Ronaldinho. Hard to not be excited by him,” wrote Mattinson on X. “Mec has rapid feet able to do skills so quickly that he can fool defenders easily,” he said. “A joy to watch, he’s a real throwback Brazilian.”

After Mec made his Gremio debut in January, Mattinson wrote of him: “Played with so much confidence to drive at the defence onto either foot, drawing players to him to create spaces. Mec is the biggest talent of his age group and another prospect ready for a breakthrough season.”

It has been a really poor season for Manchester United, who are battling to get a top-half finish this season.

However, things were not made easier with the news a couple of weeks ago that Amad is out injured. The Ivorian attacker has been sensational under Ruben Amorim – contributing with nine goals and seven assists – but will miss the remainder of the season.

It’s safe to say that the 22-year-old has had a real impact on the Red Devils this season and will be a big miss.

With Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount also out with injury, it leaves Amorim thin on the ground in terms of options in that number 10 role.

Man United's current attacking midfield options

Amorim has four realistic options to play as a number 10. One of those is Bruno Fernandes. United’s captain has been playing deeper at times under Amorim, but his goal threat is obvious. He has ten goals and 12 assists this term.

The United boss has also tended to start Joshua Zirkzee behind the striker in recent weeks. His excellent ability to link play up and find runners beyond him, plus the physical presence he offers, means he could work well as an attacking midfielder in the dual 10 system Amorim employs. He has already shown great signs when playing there in recent weeks.

Alejandro Garnacho offers something unique at attacking midfield. He is unlike any other United player, someone who will relentlessly dribble at the opposition defence and try and take them on one-vs-one. The youngster has 14 goal involvements this season but has been in a drought.

Christian Eriksen is the fourth realistic option Amorim has to play in the role. Now into the final few months of his deal at United, the Denmark international has not featured much this season but possesses the timeless ability to unlock a defence with one pass.

However, amid this injury crisis, perhaps Amorim wishes United still had a former academy graduate on the books who has impressed after leaving the club.

Former Man United academy graduate would now be perfect

In the last few seasons, so many academy graduates have departed Old Trafford permanently. That includes established first-team players like Scott McTominay, who moved to Napoli, and less experienced yet high-potential players like Teden Mengi, who is now at Luton Town.

Another recent academy departure was attacking midfielder Andreas Pereira. The Brazilian, who went on several loan spells during his time at Old Trafford, made 75 appearances for the club, scoring and assisting nine times.

In 2022, he made the move to West Londoners Fulham for a fee in the region of £10m. Since joining the Cottagers, Pereira has thrived. In 108 games for the club, he has scored on ten occasions and grabbed 19 assists. His valuation of as much as £17.5m by Football Transfers shows just how much he has improved.

In his first two Premier League campaigns at the club, he managed to hit ten goal involvements. He also managed to get on the scoresheet in a 2-2 draw at Anfield against Liverpool this term, which surely brought a smile to the faces of United fans.

Pereira’s performances have been impressive over the past few seasons so much so that you can now draw a statistical comparison with Martin Odegaard and remarkably Phil Foden who are adjudged to be similar players via FBref.

The Arsenal captain, who is valued as highly as £90m by Transfermarkt, has three goals and six assists for the Gunners this season.

The statistical evidence suggests that both midfielders have been creatively excellent players over the season. On average, Pereira plays 2.67 key passes per game, compared to 2.33 for Odegaard. The Fulham star also averages 5.27 shot-creating actions per game, with the Arsenal skipper slightly less at 4.68 per game.

Key passes

2.67

2.33

Goals and assists

0.27

0.31

Shot-creating actions

5.27

4.68

Tackles and interceptions

1.37

1.1

Ball recoveries

4.66

3.62

Perhaps Amorim wishes he had the former United star to call upon this season. As Statman Dave said, he is an “underrated playmaker”, and could have made a real difference for the Red Devils this season.

Amorim has repeated Man Utd's Pogba blunder by axing "unplayable" star

Manchester United may look back on this decision with regret in the future.

ByDan Emery Feb 24, 2025

Arsenal are a club with a proud history of developing and promoting young talent into the first team.

Mikel Arteta has carried that tradition on during his time, with the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and now Max Dowman all getting chances under him.

However, when it comes to the most successful Hale End product under the Spaniard’s stewardship, it’s hard to ignore Bukayo Saka, who has become a world-class superstar in recent years.

So, fans should be very excited about another young prospect making his way through the academy, who has been likened to a young version of the England international.

Saka's academy journey

Saka joined Hale End as a seven-year-old, with him later revealing that it was his father who pushed for him to join the club over others.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The Ealing-born gem made his debut for the club’s U18 against Fulham in August 2017, a game the Gunners would lose 4-1.

The youngster would end that season with a respectable haul of eight goals and four assists in 22 games.

The following year, he made just six appearances for the U18S and 24 for the U23S, scoring six goals and providing nine assists for the latter.

However, that was also the season in which he made his first-team debut, away to Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League group stage, under Unai Emery.

At this point, the exciting prospect was still very much seen as a left-sided attacker and had made just a single appearance on the right across both campaigns.

The 19/20 season brought the end of Saka’s time in the academy setup, as he made just one appearance for the U23s in a Premier League 2 game against Everton, which they drew.

Appearances

28

25

Goals

16

6

Assists

6

9

In all, the now 24-year-old made 28 appearances for Arsenal’s U18s, in which he produced 22 goal involvements and 25 appearances for the U23s, in which he produced 15.

Everyone now knows how the rest of the story goes, and so fans should be excited that there is another Hale End talent currently being compared to Saka.

Arsenal's next Saka

With the likes of Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly and now Dowman, it feels like Hale End can’t stop producing incredible talents, and the next one off the line might just be Brando Bailey-Joseph.

The 17-year-old has been so impressive in recent months that, despite only signing scholarship terms with the club a few months ago, he has already put pen to paper on a professional deal.

Moreover, according to one analyst, he is currently looking “very reminiscent of a young Saka.”

The argument he puts forward is that, like the Gunners’ talisman, there has been a lot more talk around other youngsters in the academy over him, and he is just quietly plugging away in the background.

Appearances

16

Minutes

1098′

Goals

4

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.5

Minutes per Goal Involvement

137.25′

For example, in 16 appearances this term, totalling 1098 minutes, he has scored four goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 137.25 minutes, which would be pretty good for a striker, let alone a winger who has been moved between both sides over and over again.

In addition to the output, the analyst also points out that, like Arteta’s mercurial number seven, he has shown an “incredible technical” ability in the academy.

This is an opinion shared by Hale End expert Will Balsam, who claims that the youngster’s “fire feet, chopping into the grass constantly, make it impossible for defenders to know what’s coming.”

Ultimately, while it’s so early in his journey, Bailey-Joseph looks like he could be the next Hale End star to make it in the first team and follow in Saka’s footsteps on the wing.

Rice was fuming with him: Arsenal's "future captain" has regressed big time

It has been a season to forget for the Arsenal star so far this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

The start of a new season is fast approaching, and Celtic continue to be busy in the transfer market.

Already this summer, the Hoops have made five first-team signings, with Kieran Tierney’s return certainly the most exciting, while Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura and Ross Doohan have all also arrived.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, Brendan Rodgers’ side have won both pre-season friendlies to date, beating Queens Park 1-0 at Lesser Hampden last Friday, before a 2-1 victory over Cork City at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday; young defender Colby Donovan the late match-winner in Ireland.

Now, Rodgers will be determined to add more attacking firepower to his ranks, so could the Celts sign a familiar face to Scottish Premiership viewers?

Celtic targeting more attackers

Right now, with Jota sidelined due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury long-term, and Nicolas Kühn on his way to Como, Celtic are short of top-class attacking options.

Daizen Maeda

Celtic

51

33

12

Adam Idah

Celtic

53

20

1

Yang Hyun-Jun

Celtic

34

6

6

James Forrest

Celtic

33

1

7

Johnny Kenny

Celtic & Shamrock Rovers

28

11

4

Luis Palma

Celtic & Olympiacos

24

1

1

Benjamin Nygren

Nordsjælland

32

16

4

Marco Tilio

Melbourne City

20

5

4

Callum Osmand

Fulham U21s

22

11

4

As the table outlines, while Daizen Maeda was on fire and Adam Idah did reach 20 goals across all competitions, new signing Benjamin Nygren is the only player who was prolific at an elite senior level last season, hence why reinforcements are required.

Thus, reports in Spain claim that Celtic are interested in signing former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski.

The North Macedonia centre-forward departed the Dons 12 months ago to join La Liga side Girona for a reported £6.8m fee, but scored just four goals in 22 appearances for the Catalan club, hence why Blanquivermells are looking to sell.

The aforementioned report claims that Bundesliga duo Freiburg and newly-promoted Hamburg have also ‘expressed interest’, with Girona hoping to recoup the money invested last summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So, could the former Aberdeen fans’ favourite be back in Scottish football, but this time bedecked in green and white hoops?

Why Bojan Miovski would be an upgrade on Adam Idah

During his time at Pittodrie, Miovski certainly impressed, with his performances described by journalist Bence Bocsák as “quality”, thereby included in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, which is always an impressive feat for any non-Old Firm player.

Then teammate Nicky Devlin claimed that Miovski was the best striker in the Premiership, while Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines labelled him a ‘clinical finisher’. Journalist Josh Bunting even described him as the “complete number nine”.

So, let’s assess how his statistics compare to Idah, who is yet to really nail down the starting centre-forward spot at Celtic, despite being signed for £9m following a loan spell, and the obvious need for a striker after Kyōgo Furuhashi was sold.

Appearances

98

72

Minutes

7,597

3,181

Goals

44

29

Premiership goals

32

21

European goals

4

3

Assists

7

3

All statistics below are on a per-90 basis.

Shots

2.3

3.6

Shots on target

1.3

2.3

Chances Created

0.8

1

Touches

28.1

36.8

Touches in the box

4.9

7.8

As the table outlines, Miovski’s raw statistics, goals and assists, are more impressive, albeit he has played more than twice as many minutes in Scottish football than Idah.

Nevertheless, the bottom section of statistics underlines why this is such a noteworthy achievement by the North Macedonia, scoring that many goals for a team who finished third and then seventh, thereby taking significantly fewer shots and enjoying substantially fewer touches than Idah.

Thus, with the service that a Celtic striker enjoys, just imagine how good Miovski’s goal-scoring statistics would be.

Thus, given that he knows the league, so would take little to acclimatise, if Celtic are searching for a guaranteed goalscorer right now, he might just be their man.

Better signing than Nygren: Celtic close in on deal for "fantastic" talent

Even after Benjamin Nygren’s arrival, Celtic still require more attacking reinforcements, so are they close to signing a “fantastic” new striker?

1 ByBen Gray Jul 10, 2025

Manchester United has been the home to countless attacking talents over recent years, with the fanbase undoubtedly wishing they currently had some of their former talents in the present day.

Wayne Rooney still holds the club record for the most goals scored for the Red Devils, registering a staggering 253 goals in his 559 appearances – subsequently overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record.

The likes of Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy have all made a name for themselves at Old Trafford, with all the players undoubtedly capturing the hearts of the fanbase.

Current boss Ruben Amorim must wish he could rely upon just one of the aforementioned talents to help him in his quest to be a success during his time in charge of the club.

However, that could be about to change this summer, with the hierarchy looking to back the 40-year-old in the transfer market during the off-season.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

A striker has been high up on Amorim’s shopping list in recent weeks, unsurprisingly so, given the club’s terrible record of just 44 goals in their 38 Premier League matches last campaign.

The likes of Dušan Vlahović, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen have all been touted with a move to Old Trafford, but no deals have yet been agreed for any of their signatures.

However, it appears as though that could be about to change, with Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins emerging as a key target for Amorim, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report claims that the 29-year-old is seen as a Premier League-proven option for the Red Devils, even making an approach for his services over the last couple of days.

It also states that the hierarchy would be willing to match his current £60m asking price, allowing the England international to follow in the footsteps of one other star at the Theatre of Dreams.

Why United’s £60m target would be Amorim’s own Van Persie

Striker Robin van Persie is a player who managed to hugely impress during his time at United, leading the club to their last league triumph back in the 2012/13 campaign.

He joined the Red Devils in a £24m deal from fellow English side Arsenal, a deal that was seen as a controversial one at the time, especially from the Gunners’ point of view.

The Dutchman was entering the back end of his career upon his move, joining the club at the age of 29, but it didn’t prevent him from starring at Old Trafford.

He managed to score 58 times in his 105 appearances over a three-year period, leading the side to title glory, something which Amorim will be hoping to replicate in the near future.

If he is to achieve such a goal, he could certainly improve his chances with a move for Watkins, with the Villa star following in Van Persie’s footsteps in the North West.

He would join the club at the same age as the Dutchman, also making an immediate impact, rather than being signed as one for the future in the club’s quest for glory.

Watkins would also be handed the responsibility of providing the goods in the final third, just like Van Persie was over a decade ago, also having the tools to offer the clinical edge the Red Devils have lacked.

Games played

38

Goals & assists

24

Pass accuracy

75%

Shots on target per 90

1.4

Chances created

1.1

Aerials won

1.8

Shots taken

2.9

The Englishman, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by Statman Dave, registered 17 goals in all competitions last season, averaging 1.4 shots on target per 90 – highlighting the clinical edge he possesses.

He’s also showcased his all-round talent, completing 75% of the passes he’s attempted, creating 1.1 chances per 90, handing other forwards around him the chance to improve the situation should he move to Old Trafford.

Watkins’ tally of 1.8 aerials won showcases his ability to hold the ball up in forward areas, offering Amorim’s side that needed focal point that they have lacked in recent months.

£60m may appear to be a mammoth figure for a 29-year-old star, but he’s consistently demonstrated that he’s capable of thriving in England’s top-flight.

If he can make the immediate impact Van Persie did during his time in Manchester, it would be a phenomenal signing and one that can push Amorim’s side back in the right direction.

Better than Watkins: Wilcox in talks to sign "monster" £64m CF for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to end their hunt for a new striker this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 3, 2025

Manchester United are now set to make an offer worth £34m for an “immense” defender, as Ruben Amorim believes he would be the ideal player to strengthen his backline, according to a report.

Man Utd looking to strengthen in all areas

A lack of goals was the real problem for Man United last season, finding the back of the net just 44 times in the Premier League, so it is little wonder that they have now set out to sign a new striker, having identified a number of targets.

Target

Current club

Goals in 24/25

Luis Suarez

Almeria

31

Hugo Ekitike

Eintracht Frankfurt

22

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Free agent

3

Victor Osimhen

Napoli

37

However, after finishing 15th in the Premier League, very few players are likely to be safe, with Atalanta star Ederson being targeted to strengthen the midfield, while the Red Devils are also racing Tottenham Hotspur for Genoa centre-back Koni De Winter.

United are already relatively well-stocked in the centre-back department, but with Lisandro Martinez still recovering from an ACL injury, it could be worth bringing in another option, and they now plan to make a bid for one of Amorim’s former players.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states Man United are set to propose a loan deal for Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, which would include an obligation to make the deal permanent for a fee of €40m (£34m).

Their own Zubimendi: Man Utd in talks to sign "strongest DM in the world"

Manchester United are looking to sign a central midfielder this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

Amorim clearly holds Inacio in very high regard, with the manager viewing him as the ideal player to strengthen the Red Devils’ backline, and an official bid could be made soon.

Sporting have previously been hesitant to sell the centre-back, but they could now be willing to listen to offers, and United should be well-positioned to win the race, despite interest from Borussia Dortmund, given Amorim’s pre-existing relationship with him.

"Immense" Inacio could be solid signing for Man Utd

Analyst Raj Chohan has singled the Sporting star out for high praise in the past, lauding him as “immense”, and the defender put in some impressive performances en-route to his side securing the Liga Portugal title last season.

The 23-year-old, who shares the same agency as Bruno Fernandes, was one of the most consistent performers in the squad, averaging a 6.97 WhoScored match rating, while also showcasing his ability on the front foot by picking up three goals and two assists.

Journalist Zach Lowy claims that Amorim has “worked miracles” with the Almada-born defender in the past, and he has now gone on to gain more top-level experience, having established himself as a 16-time Portugal international.

As such, Inacio could be a solid signing for Man United, but their main priority should be to bring in a new striker, given that they struggled considerably in front of goal last season.