Former Newcastle forward Callum Wilson has been linked with a move to Manchester United
Former Newcastle forward Callum Wilson has been linked with a move to Manchester United
Manchester United's players have returned for pre-season training but the wait for the club to sign a new striker remains ongoing.
lack of goals last season were a major contributing factor to why they finished 15th in the Premier League table - their worst ever Premier League performance.
Only Everton and the three relegated clubs scored less than the 44 goals United managed last term, with strikers and Joshua Zirkzee managing just seven league goals between them.
As such, correcting that issue was made a major transfer priority this summer and, while they have signed and are targeting a move for Bryan Mbeumo, who scored 37 goals between them last term, they will fill the attacking midfield void rather than the forward position.
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United missed out on a move for Liam Delap, who swapped Ipswich for Chelsea, and have been linked with Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen who look set to join Arsenal and Galatasaray respectively.
Hugo Ekitike, Ollie Watkins and Moise Kean have also been linked, while a suggested free agents Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jamie Vardy and Callum Wilson had been offered to United.
Wilson is fresh from leaving Newcastle United, where he had to play second choice to Alexander Isak in the last couple of seasons.
The 33-year-old has a commendable scoring record in the Premier League, though, and is an England international who has played in a World Cup for his country.
And he has now spoken about his future and what he wants from a new club this summer.
"When you’re coming on for five, 10 minutes here and there within a game everyone thinks that you can’t play longer than that,” Wilson told
"Everyone thinks ‘he’s losing a yard of pace’, all these other things, but obviously coming on as a substitute is completely different to starting a game.
"When you come on as a sub it’s so hard to catch a second wind and before you know it the game is over. That was the only thing for me. I still feel I can offer so much.
"I had conversations with the manager [] and we established that I’m not at a point mentally where I’m ready to sit on the bench and play No 2 for the whole season.
"Staying at Newcastle with the Champions League and off the back of winning a trophy, signing all these players, it all sounds great and looks great, but for me as a player, when you’re not being able to contribute like you feel you could contribute, it doesn’t feel the same.
“If I was at a point where I was content with what I’ve done in my career and want to see the last few years fizzle out, sitting around and helping younger players then not a problem. But I still feel I can do that as well as play on the pitch."
Wilson clearly harbours ambitions of being the main man for his new club and a regular starter.
The issue with links to United would be that they cannot afford to gamble on a forward with a chequered injury record and questions over whether his best days are behind him.
United need guaranteed results from their new main forward. Wilson would be a brilliant backup option and by all accounts is an excellent professional with an elite mentality.
While United could do with those qualities in their squad, a move for Wilson should only be sanctioned if he is a squad member rather than a regular starter.
But, as he has outlined, he isn't prepared to do that otherwise he could have signed a new deal at Newcastle. It already seemed an unlikely transfer but those comments have pretty much written off any move to United.
You can read Wilson's full interview with