Man Utd eager to signal “among the finest STs on the market”

Manchester United‘s season is not over simply but, not if Ruben Amorim can assist it, though the identical cannot be mentioned for Marcus Rashford, with the exiled Englishman wanting set to overlook the rest of the marketing campaign by means of harm.

Presently on the books at Aston Villa, following his February mortgage swap to the Midlands, the 27-year-old must watch on as his father or mother membership bid for Europa League glory – eight years on from enjoying a significant function in lifting that very same trophy below Jose Mourinho.

In what was simply his first full season within the senior ranks at Outdated Trafford, the then-youngster notably got here alive within the knockout levels, racking up 5 objectives and assists in complete, together with a surprising, essential free-kick away to Celta Vigo.

That impression had adopted on from Rashford’s emergence onto the scene a 12 months earlier within the ultimate few months of the 2015/16 season, having ended that marketing campaign with eight objectives in simply 18 first-team video games below Louis van Gaal’s watch.

Maybe his prime years, nonetheless, got here throughout Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign, with the academy graduate registering 26 aim contributions in 31 Premier League video games in 2019/20, adopted by an extra 24 in 37 top-flight outings within the following season.

A short resurgence did happen in 2022/23, amid the ahead’s 30-goal heroics, though current years have showcased far an excessive amount of inconsistency, with the Three Lions star now wanting set for a everlasting summer time exit. A possible youthful substitute seems to have already been lined up…

Newest on Man Utd’s seek for a ahead

Alongside the broadly reported transfer for Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the signing of a brand new centre-forward seems sizzling on the agenda for Amorim and INEOS this summer time, with Rasmus Hojlund having scored simply 4 league objectives in 2024/25 so far.

As outlined by GIVEMESPORT, the Purple Devils have recognized Liam Delap and Victor Osimhen because the prime candidates within the seek for a brand new quantity 9, albeit with boths offers mentioned to be ‘difficult’.

Certainly, there are doubts over whether or not the £30m-rated Delap is eager on transferring to Outdated Trafford at this level in his embryonic profession, whereas as for Osimhen, there are considerations concerning the Nigerian’s potential wage calls for and willingness to truly function for the membership.

With that in thoughts, alternate options to their pair at the moment are being drawn up, with the report outlining that a type of whom INEOS are additionally ‘conserving tabs’ on is Eintracht Frankfurt sensation, Hugo Ekitike.

Beforehand on the books at Paris Saint-Germain – having additionally been closely linked with Newcastle United in previous – the Frenchman has dazzled in Germany this season, therefore the curiosity in him from these in Manchester.

One main impediment can be the 22-year-old’s reported £80m price ticket, though if any sort of leeway could be discovered, then he could come onto United’s radar in a extra concrete method.

Why Hugo Ekitike is sort of a prime Rashford

Following a troublesome few years below the Manchester United microscope, Rashford had regarded like getting again to his finest in a Villa shirt of late, previous to his current merciless harm blow.

Certainly, the skilled ahead notably scored his first league aim for the Villans with a breakaway aim on the counter towards Brighton and Hove Albion, evoking reminiscences of his aim towards Arsenal in the beginning of 2022/23, or his second strike within the 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea on the opening day of 2019/20.

Towards Paris Saint-Germain, in the meantime, the resurgent striker was additionally breathtaking at occasions as Unai Emery’s aspect bravely crashed out on the quarter-final stage, with Rashford teeing up Ezri Konsa following a surprising solo run down the precise flank.

That pace and ability confirmed shades of the Rashford that United followers had seen in years passed by, with the polarising expertise having regarded virtually “unstoppable” in his pomp – as famous by Erik ten Hag.

In some ways, the aforementioned Ekitike is exhibiting thrilling similarities to that prime model of ‘Rashy’, not least in his skill to glitter off the left or in his traditional centre-forward berth.

This season, particularly, has been a fruitful one for the previous PSG starlet, as he has already registered 22 objectives and an extra ten assists in 45 video games for Frankfurt throughout all fronts, together with 15 objectives and 6 assists within the Bundesliga.

He’s then not too far off emulating Rashford’s best-ever Premier League tally, which got here, as alluded to beforehand, in 2019/20, amid his document of 17 objectives and 9 assists throughout that Covid-impacted marketing campaign.

Described as “among the finest strikers on the market” by information analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike does mirror the United outcast in a spread of attacking metrics too, when evaluating these two seasons, with the Frankfurt talisman additionally one thing of a monster in that left channel.

That high quality was on full show because the in-demand marksman netted in positive vogue towards Tottenham Hotspur within the Europa League, working at his man from that left flank, earlier than unleashing a pleasant end into the far nook.

It’s troublesome to not see a component of Rashford at his finest when witnessing Ekitike in full circulate, with the France U21 worldwide doubtlessly representing the right successor to the Purple Devils’ 138-goal enigma.

United have been his “favorite membership” as a baby, by the best way…