Manchester United failed to impress last season, and won’t play any football overseas next season. Ruben Amorim’s side finished 15th in the Premier League and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
And yet…
And yet Man United have moved with vicious intent in the summer transfer window, winning the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha before setting their sights on Brentford talisman Bryan Mbeumo.
Mbeumo, 25, scored 20 league goals last year as he underscored his credentials as one of English football’s finest goalscorers. Many teams have registered their interest, but the Cameroonian has reportedly informed the Bees that if he is to leave the Gtech this summer, Old Trafford is the sole destination he has in mind.
With Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur among the curious parties, it’s a fine representation of the Theatre’s unbreakable pull.
However, will that influence be enough to convince Viktor Gyokeres?
The latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Man Utd
As soon as Amorim was confirmed last autumn, rumours surfaced pertaining to Gyokeres’ eventual transfer to Manchester.
Those rumours persist still, but the forward’s hesitance to commit to the move, with Arsenal also chasing his signature, comes as a by-product of last season’s struggles.
Having played under Amorim’s wing at Sporting, Gyokeres’ skill set has been infused with a natural grasp of the way United are now trying to play. He’d be perfect, no doubt.
However, the Sweden striker is 27, and thus it’s understandable that he’d want to make the most of his prime years by playing at the highest level.
Still, United aren’t out of the equation, with Caught Offside revealing it is a matter of time until Gyokeres completes his big move – and the Red Devils very much remain in the race.
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Viktor Gyokeres
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2.
Kylian Mbappe
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3.
Mohamed Salah
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4.
Robert Lewandowski
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5.
Harry Kane
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With Arsenal believed to be favourites, though, it would be remiss of INEOS not to identify an alternative, and talks have indeed commenced for the transfer of a former Premier League sensation.
Man Utd enter race for Gyokeres alternative
According to reports in Spain, Man United have entered the race for Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who left Brentford to join the Saudi Pro League in a £40m deal last summer.
In fact, the English outfit have already placed a proposal on the table worth €35m (£30m), which could lead to Amorim securing a bargain for a Premier League-proven frontman.
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Discussions between United and the 29-year-old’s entourage are also underway, and the feeling at Old Trafford is that a shrewd signing can be completed in the coming weeks.
What Ivan Toney would bring to Man Utd
With Rasmus Hojlund set to leave Manchester after a pretty abject year, United desperately need to sign a centre-forward who will provide and sustain a strong, prolific presence.
Former Brentford superstar Toney would certainly arrive with the reputation of carrying such qualities, with his strength and potency exactly what Amorim is looking for.
Toney’s 2023/24 campaign was marred by a lengthy suspension, but he still chipped in with four goals and two assists in the Premier League, having returned in January.
And the term before, the Three Lions star, of course, illustrated his ability to throw down with the finest strikers the Premier League had to offer; namely, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane at Tottenham.
Erling Haaland
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Harry Kane
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Ivan Toney
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Mohamed Salah
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Callum Wilson
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In fact, Toney’s physicality and completeness even led Arsenal’s Declan Rice to declare he’s “like Harry Kane”, with some elements of his game like that of a throwback striker, albeit one who has an eye for playmaking and sharp link-up play.
When plying his trade for Brentford in 2022/23, Toney scored 20 goals in the league but also created 12 big chances for his teammates, as per Sofascore, also averaging a rather remarkable 6.7 duels per game.
We all know Kane’s qualities as a creator, influencing matches in a multiplicity of ways, far removed from the bulk of strikers competing across the globe.
As per FBref, the Bayern Munich star ranked among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe last season for progressive passes and the top 12% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Toney, moreover, isn’t really a striker who relies heavily on his pace, and so while he stares at the arrival of his 30th birthday, there’s every sense he could emulate his countryman Kane in producing elite-level performances across the coming years.
There’s also the matter of his tried-and-tested success in the Premier League, something Gyokeres has not yet fulfilled (in fact, the Sporting star has yet to even compete in one of Europe’s top five leagues, and he’s only two years older than Toney).
Toney has, of course, stepped away from European football and into the Gulf region, taking a lucrative payday at the expense, ostensibly, of playing at the highest level.
However, he’s kept himself sharp, all right, scoring 30 times across 44 matches for Al Ahli. Furthermore, Thomas Tuchel was not dissuaded from calling the £411k-per-week striker up for England duty last month, making an interesting comment on the view he is still regarded in.
All told, here we have a proven, powerful and prolific forward who has earned praise in the past for his “world-class” skills by manager Thomas Frank.
United could do a lot worse, and if Gyokeres does prove to linger out of reach, Toney might be the perfect alternative. In fact, this Kane-esque star may be the better pick altogether.
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