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Man Utd are desperate to sign a new striker and Man City could have done them an unlikely favour.
Manchester United aren’t the only club in the Premier League looking for a new striker, however, they are the only one without Champions League or even European football to use as bait.
Rasmus Hojlund has addressed his United future with a return to Italy a possibility after failing to impress since arriving at Old Trafford. The big Dane is young enough to improve and also has a first class attitude so, if an elite level No.9 is signed, Hojlund could stay and benefit from not having the same level of expectation on his shoulders.
The highest profile link has been Viktor Gyokeres, said to be “furious” with Sporting Lisbon, Arsenal appear to be leading the chase for the Sweden international due to their current stability and Champions League qualification. A possible reunion with Ruben Amorim isn’t quite enough to tempt the 27-year old to prioritise United.
Man Utd given eye watering price tag for Hugo Ekitike
The Eintracht Frankfurt striker is also on Arsenal’s list of names with Liverpool said to be monitoring his situation too. Encouragingly for United fans, if the teams above them are trying to sign Ekitike, they must be on the right tracks.
With big spending clubs circling, Frankfurt have set the price-tag at £84m, a fee that seems steep in comparison to the likes of Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Julian Alvarez, who could all be on the move.
How Man City might have done Man Utd a transfer favour
In a bizarre twist of fate though, Man City’s £59m signing of Omar Marmoush in January could save Amorim a fortune on his transfer budget.
The £84m fee is inflated, and it makes no sense when Frankfurt have already shown what sort of valuation they place on their best players. Marmoush is a better player than Ekitike, yes, he is a few years older, but not to the extent that he is worth £29m less.
Any opening bids should be low, even if add-ons are thrown in, but Frankfurt’s sporting director hasn’t given United, or any other suitors, any encouragement, Markus Krosche told Sport1: "He's one of the most interesting strikers on the European market. Hugo has to decide that. I'm glad we have him. If he decides otherwise, that's our motto: If a player develops faster than us, we let him go."
Due to qualifying for the Champions League themselves, Frankfurt aren’t in any rush to sell and also have the money from the sale of Marmoush leading Krosche to double down: “If the price isn’t right, then he’ll simply stay with us. We don’t have to sell Hugo.”
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