Manchester United have identified Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane as their priority striker target for the summer transfer window, but a deal looks unlikely to happen at present.
Erik ten Hag is an admirer of the England international, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is reluctant to sell him to a direct Premier League rival.
Kane’s current deal with the north London club expires in June 2024, and they are prepared to take the risk of running down his contract.
Hence, United may need to look at other striker targets, and here are three £50 million or under alternatives that the club could consider.
Rasmus Hojlund – Atalanta
The 20-year-old had an impressive 2022/23 season with Sturm Graz and Atalanta. He registered an overall tally of 16 goals and seven assists.
The Dane has yet to find consistency at the highest level, but his playing attributes have already led to comparisons with Erling Haaland.
He is a left-footed striker who possesses good pace and likes to link up play. He also has a strong physical presence and is a poacher in the box.
Atalanta value him at around £40 million. Hojlund has already acknowledged that he would welcome a move to a ‘huge club‘ like United.
Jonathan David – Lille
The Canada international has been a consistent goal getter for Lille in the French top-flight.
Last season, the 23-year-old was in blistering form for the former French champions. He scored 26 goals and provided four assists in 40 games.
He is now preparing for the next step in his career, and United could consider him due to his superb all-round attributes, aside from his goalscoring.
David completed an impressive 83 per cent of his passes playing up front last term, winning 3.5 duels per game. United could prise him away for £50m.
Gianluca Scamacca – West Ham United
Scamacca was linked with the likes of United and Paris Saint-Germain last summer before he made the surprise move to West Ham for £35.5m.
The Italian had a difficult debut season with the Hammers. He managed only eight goals in 27 outings and missed part of the campaign with injuries.
Despite this, United could lodge an approach for his services. The former Sassuolo man likes to hold-up play and also prefers to shot from long range.
For a tall striker at 195cm, he has good pace with a decent passing ability. Ten Hag could transform his fortunes just as he did with Sebastien Haller.
Haller struggled under David Moyes, but became a potent striker at Ajax. We could see something similar. The Hammers may want to recoup the fee paid to Sassuolo.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
