Add Moussa Dembele to that list and I think you're there. For me, in terms of price/quality, I think that Toney, Schick, DCL (if Evertreon gets relegated) and Dembele are the stand out options. Vlahovic is unrealistic as far as I see it. Dembele is the bargain option. Add Joao Pedro from Watford alongside Demeble and we're in a very nice place with the forwards..
The centre-forward market...
- Thread starter Rozay
- Start date
A year from now? No chance. Would need a successful loan or two first to even stand half a chance. He's a tidy player with his touch, passing and finishing, but he's miles off in terms of physicality. Not even ready for a loan just yet.
Id like us to sign a hard-running, horrible b**tard of a CF who bites, claws, pinches, chases, elbows, kicks...and hopefully scores a few goals too!
A 24 year old Diego Costa is what we need
What do people think about Youssef En-Nesyri ?
I know some won't like it but I feel Mitrovic would be a classic SAF signing.
Usually got his CFs from the Premier League.
Also, to be fair to Mitrovic, his record at international level is very good too
Usually got his CFs from the Premier League.
Also, to be fair to Mitrovic, his record at international level is very good too
Toney or Mitrovic should be the answer.
Lautaro Martinez.
Toney is the guy. This has a Louis Saha saga written all over it.
Big fan of this lad but I didn't put him on my list as he's not your typical target man striker. Would love him at United, though.
Considering the striker/goal scoring winger market is a bit meh and barca just splashed over 50 million for Lewandowski, If benzema was available seeing as he has one year left and keeps up the form he showed last season would it be worth getting him for a season or two, especially if madrid don't offer him a new contract and is a free agent?
I would love to make Leipzig a joint offer for Sesko and Nkunku (likely to cost £100-150m, although I believe Nkunku has a £60m buyout clause) with Sesko as the target man type striker, and Nkunku could compete with Sesko if we want to play a false 9, or with Fernandes as the second striker to play alongside Sesko. I think that between them Sesko and Nkunku offer everything from target man, hold up play, link up play, technical ability and both should offer lots of goals. I think this would be the dream solution.
With Leipzig in the Champions League (may still be in January) it may be worth exploring a swap deal for Ronaldo already then, with Nkunku coming in January, and Sesko to follow in the Summer.
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Sounds unlikely. If you know Leipzig, you'd know they wouldn't sell a player that they haven't even used yet. They just declined a crazy offer by Chelsea for Gvardiol. Sesko will play at least two years at Leipzig before they will sell him. Also they will never take Ronaldo. Doesn't suit their philosophy at all. Actually no German club will ever take him.
It wouldn’t surprise me if we part of the Sesko deal was just cooking the books for both Salzburg and Leipzig. Salzburg get to record a healthy profit now. Leipzig sell at a profit next summer to boost their coffers.
We will be an attraction to the very best in the market if we can get into Champions League
Mitrovic has 4 years left on his deal, I think he'd cost the absolute earth unless Fulham go down.
1000% need one next season. I’m sure someone has already been identified
Injury prone? Think he's had what? one full season?
Martial is better, and a better fit, than the vast majority of names mentioned in this thread. Has had a rough couple of seasons, but in terms of hold up play, technical ability, link play, finishing ability, height, strength, pace and hopefully, work rate now - he has the best spread of all options who are lacking at least one of those.
It won’t be easy to find an upgrade on an in-form Martial at all in this market.
It won’t be easy to find an upgrade on an in-form Martial at all in this market.
We need a forward to replace Cristiano next year whether or not he's an upgrade to Martial.
I really could see us signing Toney. He's different than Martial and Rashford, he'd surely push for the move if only to properly get in the England team and higher wages and European football. Not sure he does enough other than strike the ball and win most headers but that's a pretty damn good start for a #9.
If it's not us, where does he go? The other big teams don't really need a 9 other than Chelsea and they just resigned Broja, though they could sell him or maybe Aubameyang will be a flop. Newcastle and West Ham just bought expensive 9s, so they don't make sense either. He could go abroad I guess.
If it's not us, where does he go? The other big teams don't really need a 9 other than Chelsea and they just resigned Broja, though they could sell him or maybe Aubameyang will be a flop. Newcastle and West Ham just bought expensive 9s, so they don't make sense either. He could go abroad I guess.
Toney.
Ivan Toney.
Get him in January. Guy is 26, absolute handful for CBs, can link up play, good finisher. Could really work for ETH system.
Ivan Toney.
Get him in January. Guy is 26, absolute handful for CBs, can link up play, good finisher. Could really work for ETH system.
Agree on Joao Pedro, has the size, pace and can develop further. He has PL experience and is only 20 and would be my first choice. I don't think Leipzig will let Sekso without at least 2 years service for them, so we can't afford to just wait for him. Other young striker options to look out for who have potential are Georginio Rutter, Goncalo Ramos and Evanilson.
He’s not the most fashionable but I’d love Mitrovic.
Why Sesko chose Leipzig is a mystery to me. They already had Andre Silva, Nkunku, Sorloth and were working on resigning Werner at the time. They really didn't need another striker. I guess they are planning on cashing in on Nkunku and will let Sorloth go next season, but I would be surprised to see him get many minutes there when he arrives next summer.
Mitrovic and Toney would both do a good job for us and I fancy both, but we would still be looking for an elite striker.
He also doesn't seem anywhere near ready anyway for United and I doubt we were seriously in for him this year.
Osimhen or Sesko atm. But maybe someone will come to the fore in WC.
I think it depends where we are at the end of the season, and whether or not Martial stays as well.
Really we almost need 2 strikers at the end of the season if Martial goes as it looks likely Ronaldo will.
Think most agree that Toney or Mitrovic could "do a job" for us, but really if we are talking about challenging for a title or in the champions league we could do with someone like Laturo Martinez who is probably a level above although not really proven outside Serie A
Really we almost need 2 strikers at the end of the season if Martial goes as it looks likely Ronaldo will.
Think most agree that Toney or Mitrovic could "do a job" for us, but really if we are talking about challenging for a title or in the champions league we could do with someone like Laturo Martinez who is probably a level above although not really proven outside Serie A
You have a good point, but I was really just pointing out that I didn't understand why he chose RBL. They are stacked up top.
Watch how Mitrovic, Toney and David in France do this season whilst looking at how situations unfold across Europe. For instance if Juventus misses ucl and we get it Vlahovic could be an option.
Lautaro also works best as a second striker
Agree.
However any idea for how much? The transfer fees in the PL went tits up ages ago so tbh I have no idea how much these guys would cost us.
Imo atm people is getting a bit obsessed with fancy signings from abroad. Because they look good in somewhat a crap league elsewhere. SAF bought Cole from Newcastle and York from Villa. Now nobody say they're not elite strikers. Klopp bought Mane from Southampton. Nobody said he was an elite forward before that I think.
Recently the transfer fee for players from abroad went crazy too. Like 80m for a lad who played like a season in the Austrian league. Sure he looks like he has the potential I'm a fan too but that's just potential. Who the feck would be sure he'd do it here? We're not even sure about Haaland until he does.
So for relatively the same money we'd better spend on proven players who we watch regularly in the league like Toney or Mitrovic I think. At least they know the league and we can be pretty sure what they'd contribute for us.
I’d say £80m apiece.
That's surely some crazy money but tbh imo it's actually much safer.
The very reason PL teams tend to buy players from abroad instead of from the league is they're usually much cheaper than the proven ones here. It was worth the risk of them being new to the league and might flop. Now the money is pretty much the same why don't spend it on the already proven ones?
I think Leipzig didn't want to experience another Haaland case (they were very bitter to lose him to Dortmund). The player also said that he wants to take smaller steps and sees Leipzig as the right next club for him. They will eventually let him go, but not before they have played him for 2 seasons at least, I am pretty sure.
So we can practically rule out Sesko. I really think if Fulham would sell Mitrovic for 50m, we should go for him. But as others said he might be pricier with the length of his contract and terrific form he has right now. I am a bit sceptical towards Toney. Might be my prejudice to English players. Not a big fan of Schick either. None of Nkunku, Felix, David or Leao are suited to the lone forward position. Lautaro would be my favourite option, if we gonna spend 100m. Osimhen and Vlahovic other possible options if available.
There aren't many young strikers with potential to be world class around.
I think we'll go all out for Kane next year if we finish in the top 4
I think we'll go all out for Kane next year if we finish in the top 4
I hope not and doubt it.... he would be 30.... surely need to find someone younger as Spurs would still demand huge ££s for Kane. Money better invested elsewhere (e.g. RB)
I still don't think Cole or Yorke was elite strikers. They were miles off the best strikers of their generation (Romario, R9, Shearer, Baggio etc.), but did decent in SAFs system. Cole had that one freak season with Newcastle where everything clicked, and never scored 20 goals in the PL again, while Yorke also hit 20 goals only once in his career.
Toney is 26 years old and has 11 non penalty goals in 41 Premier league games. Would probably cost north of 50M
Mitro is 28 (in 2 weeks) and has 26 non penalty goals in 110 Premier league games. Would probably cost 40M+ too.
Would you be happy with that return for us?
They have looked really good so far this season, I must admit, but none of them are close to elite level though.
The problem with both Mitrovic and Toney is that they are both "proven" in the UK's lower leagues, and apart from a few games this season, neither has shone in the Premier League. Therefore, the risk of whether they can handle the step up in quality from the French, Dutch league or whatever, applies equally to the championship. Furthermore, these guys are 26/27, so paying £80m for them is a massive investment, knowing that in 5 years they will be worth very little, whereas a 22 year old like Haaland will have huge sell on value in 5 years if he renews his contract. Harry Kane would cost £100m for a 29 year old - madness unless you have a state backer.
Personally I would prefer a younger striker, with Sesko looking to be the standout candidate. It may also be worth considering that a half a dozen versatile forwards may be better than one star striker. So the line up of Martial, Rashford, Sancho, Antony, and maybe Gakpo and Nkunku coming in, with most of those players being able to play more than one position across the front three. Tadic moved positions at Ajax, so it wouldn't totally shock me if this is how Ten Hag wanted to play (although I wouldn't be averse to bringing in Sesko and Osimhen to fight over the numper 9 position).