Only at Manchester United can it happen that goalscoring remains a huge problem after adding two players who scored a combined 35 league goals between them, but that’s the reality.
Man Utd scored 44 league goals as a team in 38 games last season, which is just nine more than Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo got together.
Clearly, another attacking reinforcement is needed, and a No. 9 has been on the radar for quite some time, albeit without success so far.
The answer to those striking woes might just have become a free agent, however, who ticks all the boxes.
Victor Lindelof of Manchester United battles with Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Manchester United at Goodison Park on November 26, 2023
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Dominic Calvert-Lewin becomes a free agent
Man Utd’s striker search began with Liam Delap’s rejection, with further salt on the wound added by Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer stance.
Since then, they’ve been hit with the financial reality of Jonathan David’s transfer, the asking price and curse of Hugo Ekitike, and Victor Osimhen remaining as indecisive as ever on his future.
However, a recent development surrounding the future of Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be the one that allows United to sort out their problem position on a bargain.
Everton’s Calvert-Lewin has announced that he will become a free agent starting from July 1, and that presents an opportunity for United.
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United’s pull is such that if they inform the player they want to explore a move for him later in the window, he’ll happily shake off approaches from other clubs.
Like Cunha and Mbeumo, he has Premier League pedigree, has the physical profile of a Ruben Amorim striker, and if the financial numbers make sense, the ability to add a seasoned body to the striker’s rotation.
Most importantly, his signing might allow United to expand their striker rotation to three, instead of selling Rasmus Hojlund to get one.
Calvert-Lewin has been fairly susceptible to injuries, so a three-man striker rotation will also help him manage his workload.
His hold-up play, with Cunha and Mbeumo running either side of him, or the prospect of him getting on the end of crosses from out wide, is tantalising.
The asterisk remains the wages/signing-on fee he’s demanding, but if they are anywhere remotely in the ballpark of what’s acceptable for United, they should explore it.
Man Utd will need to be creative
“We’re Man Utd” is all well and good while trying to silence the doubters, but the club’s financial reality is that they will need to sell to buy after splurging nearly £120m on Cunha and Mbeumo.
The club need to be creative and look for players who can round up the squad nicely with proven experience instead of aiming for a marquee name in multiple positions.
As the finances improve, they can aim higher, but in the meantime, someone like Calvert-Lewin makes sense as a player who’s not so old that he’s got no value, but not young anymore.
The chance to play at Old Trafford will appeal to him, so if the numbers make sense, this is the kind of opportunistic bargain United should be all over.
A contract that is incentivised based on appearances will be ideal for a player and motivate him to shake off injury worries even more.
On the other hand, United will get a seasoned Premier League veteran on a free transfer who plays a position they need urgent reinforcements in.