Online Reporter
RUBEN AMORIM might have to break the bank to get a real goalscorer at Old Trafford.
The new Manchester United boss is desperate to splash whatever cash Sir Jim Ratcliffe will give him in the January window.
Someone to consistently put the ball in the back of the net will be top of Amorim’s shopping list.
Four main targets have emerged after the transfer window opened last week – and we have crunched the numbers to work out which would be the best fit.
SunSport exclusively revealed that Marcus Rashford is at the centre of a stunning swap deal with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
The 26-year-old Nigerian is scoring goals for fun after his unexpected loan move to Galatasaray in the summer.
Osimhen moved to Turkey after failing to seal moves to either Chelsea or the Saudi Pro League on deadline day, having tried to force his way out of Naples.
He has scored 13 goals in 16 games this season and has averaged 0.79 goals per 90 minutes since the start of last season.
And United could get Osimhen for just £62million this month thanks to a release clause in his contract – although he will demand sky-high wages.
Amorim would ideally love to work with Sporting Lisbon forward Viktor Gyokeres again — but agreed he would NOT sign players from his former club until the summer at the earliest.
Gyokeres, who swapped Coventry for Lisbon in 2023, has bagged 30 goals in 28 appearances this season, with Arsenal also interested.
The 26-year-old is first overall in eight of our 10 metrics, including goals, touches and expected goals per 90 minutes.
The Swede has the best goal conversion rate of all four Man Utd striker targets, hitting the back of the net once in every 89 minutes on average since the start of last season.
But United will have to hand over more than £70m to steal him away from Sporting.
The Red Devils have also identified Paris Saint-Germain star Randal Kolo Muani as a potential answer to their lack of goals.
Kolo Muani is another 26-year-old who has scored 11 goals in 54 appearances since joining the French side from Eintracht Frankfurt in September 2023.
A loan deal could be on the cards with the frontman under contract at PSG until 2028 but in need of game time.
The French international, who moved to the Parc des Princes for £77m only 16 months ago and has scored twice in just 14 appearances this season.
Kolo Muani’s stats are less impressive than Osimhen’s and Gyokeres’, only reigning first overall for assists per 90 minutes since the start of last term.
The final name on Amorim’s shortlist is Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic with the Serie A reportedly considering a shock swap deal involving Joshua Zirkzee heading back to Italy.
The Dutchman has had a difficult first six months at Old Trafford after his £36.5million move from Bologna.
He was booed by large sections of the home fans after Amorim removed him within 33 minutes of United’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.
Vlahovic has just 18 months left on his contract. Juventus do not want to lose the 24-year-old for free and are looking at “creative ways to benefit” from his exit.
Vlahovic, who joined the Old Lady from Fiorentina for £67m in 2022, has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season.
United have endured their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, despite forking out around £206m in the summer window under previous gaffer Erik ten Hag.
Club legend Gary Neville even argued that his former club is the “worst pound-for-pound team in the country.” — Sun.
