Manchester United are continuing to assess their options ahead of launching a first official move for a striker in this summer's transfer window.
Manager Erik ten Hag has prioritised the addition of a new-world class No.9 this summer after United struggled to score goals at a rapid rate of knots during the 2022/23 campaign. The Reds ended the Premier League campaign as the lowest scorers out of the clubs that finished inside the top six, plundering just 58 league goals.
With the exception of Marcus Rashford, who scored 30 times in all competitions, United lacked a reliable goalscorer, certainly in terms of a centre-forward. Anthony Martial was regularly sidelined through injury and January recruit Wout Weghorst was not up to the standard required.
United, who will face Wolves on the opening weekend of the forthcoming campaign, are assessing various options, including Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane, but it is understood that the club is working under the assumption that the Londoners will not be prepared to sell him this summer. It means they are monitoring options overseas instead, such as Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani.
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With that in mind, MEN Sport has taken a close look at what each member of the aforementioned trio has had to say about their respective futures, amid ongoing interest in their signatures, both from United and other big-name European clubs.
Victor Osimhen - Napoli
After scoring 31 goals in just 39 appearances for Napoli in 2022/23, helping them scoop their first Serie A title in more than 30 years, Osimhen is currently one of the most sought-after strikers on the planet. The striker, who was pinpointed as a target back in November, is being tracked by a host of European clubs and Napoli have claimed that they will listen to offers for him in this summer's window.
The Nigerian, despite often remaining coy about his future in recent weeks and months, has made no secret of his dream to play in the Premier League at some point in the future.
Speaking back in March, Osimhen said: "I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world (Serie A) is an amazing feeling for me. A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league but now I'm in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.
"I'm working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League someday but, like I said, it's a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well."
Rasmus Hojlund - Atalanta
As reported by the Manchester Evening News last month, Ten Hag has held multiple video calls with Hojlund. The United manager has identified the 20-year-old as an attainable target this summer to fix United's goalscoring troubles.
Hojlund, who is a Danish international, only joined Atalanta less than a year ago, but has quickly blossomed into one of the most exciting young strikers in Europe. He also claims to be a boyhood United supporter, a factor that could be key in his decision-making this summer.
"It is a huge club, so I must have done something right if it's rumoured they want me," Hojlund said, speaking earlier this month. "We have to see what happens. As you see and hear, I imagine a lot could happen to quite a few strikers this summer, as many clubs are looking for a No9.
"Something will definitely happen there, and then we'll have to wait and see if I am included in it. I am very happy to be with Atalanta and we have qualified for Europe. I have found myself in a really good place here, so now we have to wait and see."
Randal Kolo Muani - Eintracht Frankfurt
When it came to the art of making things happen in and around the penalty area in 2022/23, few were better at it than Kolo Muani. The Frenchman excelled in his debut season at Frankfurt, scoring 23 goals and grabbing 17 assists in all competitions.
He joined the club on a free transfer last summer after his deal at former club FC Nantes ran out and he produced numbers so impressive that even Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with his signature. And the forward, like Osimhen, dreams of playing in England.
Kolo Muani, speaking in early June, said: "It's flattering that PSG are interested in you, like all the other big clubs. It's not just because you come from the Parisian region and grow up there that you should automatically play for PSG.
"Honestly, who doesn't dream of playing in the Premier League? It's one of the best leagues that exists. You dream about it. These are childhood dreams.
"But I'm not searching for the perfect club or the best club in the world. I'm really looking for the club that will give me the chance to be able to express myself, to earn game time and most importantly allow me to grow."
