It wasn’t that long ago that Manchester United’s pursuit of a striker turned out to be a straight shootout between Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.
The two goalkeepers had cemented themselves at the top of the club’s shortlist, with Tottenham Hotspur star Kane earmarked as manager Erik ten Hag’s top target back in March. Napoli ace Osimhen was also under serious consideration and the Reds’ supporters were optimistic that the club’s striker search would be solved with the addition of one of these two.
But now that the window is officially open for business, United’s search for a striker is wide open and it is virtually impossible to predict who will spearhead the club’s attack on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 campaign. United are working under the assumption that Tottenham will not sell Kane, despite his contract expiring next summer, and the continued uncertainty over the takeover means it is not yet clear how big Ten Hag’s transfer budget will be.
This means United are respectfully forced to consider lesser options than Kane and Osimhen, such as Atalanta ace Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt. While both are talented players, they are not yet in the same category as Kane or Osimhen, who scored 63 goals between them this season.
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But even if United are lucky enough to bring Kane, Osimhen or a striker of similar standard to Old Trafford this summer, there is a general consensus that Ten Hag may need to bring in an additional striker to provide both competition and support. United played 62 games this season and it resulted in many members of Ten Hag’s squad running empty-handed towards the end of the campaign, pointing to their lack of strength in depth.
As well as wanting to strengthen his first-choice starting XI this summer, Ten Hag also need funds to bolster his overall squad, which is why two strikers could be necessary. However, the prospect of two strikers coming through the door could all hinge on Anthony Martial’s future.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News back in February, United are open to selling the Frenchman this summer. He is currently the club’s only out-and-out striker, following the end of Wout Weghorst’s loan spell from Burnley.
However, Martial, as was proven throughout this season, cannot be trusted due to his fitness issues. United would be better off cashing in on him, accepting a financial loss in the process and moving on.
If they decide to do so, they may not find a better ready replacement than Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram. His contract at the Bundesliga club expires this month and he has already confirmed he will not be extending his stay, meaning he will soon become a free agent.
The 25-year-old, who featured for France at last year’s World Cup, has been a fairly consistent source of goals in Germany over the last few seasons, hitting double figures in three of his four seasons in Mönchengladbach. The only exception was when he scored just three times during an injury-hit 2021/22 campaign.
However, this season he scored 16 goals and grabbed seven assists, meaning he would be within his rights to expect a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Roma are reportedly chasing his signature, meaning he would be an attractive signing for United, right?
Comparing him directly to Martial, based on the assumption that he would join United as the club’s back-up striker, Thuram enjoyed a better campaign in front of goal than Martial in 2022/23, although the former AS Monaco-es’ injury record did not. help his cause.
While it is important to both remember and appreciate the differences between the Bundesliga and the Premier League, plus the fact that Thuram played nine more league games than Martial this term, the former outperformed the red ace on a number of key attacking parameters. These included shots on goal per 90, successful dribbles per 90 and attack actions per 90, plus several others.
Thuram also proved very useful when it came to offensive and defensive duels, outclassing Martial in all departments. He won an average of 1.51 aerial duels per 90, 0.57 defensive duels per 90 and 5.29 offensive duels per 90.
Thuram is a strong and athletic forward who is able to run at defenders with his pace and athleticism. He is also a creative focal point, collecting 29 assists along with his 44 goals in four seasons at Mönchengladbach.
Ten Hag likes his forwards to be involved in the game and contribute to every attacking phase. As a free agent, Thuram is a player that United should really analyze closely.
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