Manchester United are keeping tabs on Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani and Atalanta goalscorer Rasmus Hojlund should they be priced out of a move for Harry Kane.
The Manchester Evening News revealed three weeks ago Tottenham talisman Kane is United manager Erik ten Hag's prime striker target but any approach has the potential to become protracted as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is historically reluctant to do business with domestic rivals.
France international Muani, 24, has scored 16 goals in 35 appearances for Eintracht this season and started in France's European Championship qualifying wins over the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland over the last week.
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Muani only joined Eintracht last year and his resale value is especially high as he is under contract until 2027. Eintracht are sixth in the Bundesliga.
Hojlund, 20, also transferred clubs last year and plundered a hat-trick on his full debut for Denmark against Finland last week. Hojlund tallied two more goals in Denmark's surprising 3-2 defeat to Kazakhstan on Sunday.
The Dane has claimed eight goals since his €17million move from Sturm Graz in August and Atalanta have become renowned for developing prodigious talents in recent years. United signed Amad for a fee rising to £37m from the sixth-placed Serie A side on transfer deadline day in October 2020.
Hojlund, like Muani, is also tied to his club until 2027 and sources at United expect at least four eminent European clubs to be in the market for an eminent striker in the summer, with Chelsea, and Bayern Munich among them.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen remains of interest to United, while Ten Hag is also an admirer of Benfica frontman Goncalo Ramos and Mohammed Kudus of Ajax.
Ten Hag said at the start of the season he would like to sign English players but United's failure to qualify for the Champions League compromised the profile of players they were able to target.
"I would like to sign English players because I think there is only one criteria and that's quality in combination with the price," Ten Hag explained at the time. "It looks like English players are quite expensive. It's a fact you cannot deny. In the end, it's about quality."
Marcus Rashford has struck a career-best 27 goals this season but United's next highest scorer is Bruno Fernandes on 10 and the club intend to sell current No.9 Anthony Martial, who has only played in 14 of their 46 matches this term.
Martial, 27, has scored 14 goals in the last three campaigns and has not completed 90 minutes in the Premier League since January 2021. He is out of contract next year but United have the option of an additional year.
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