Toulouse striker Joshua King reveals how missing an opportunity to return to Manchester United left him devastated in 2020.
Manchester United have had issues in the striker department for years now and Ruben Amorim will try to fix that when the summer transfer window opens.
The United first-team has been lacking goals for over two years and the current options in attack are raising more questions than answers.
For instance, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have 14 goals between them across all competitions this season. There is an overreliance on other players to provide goals such as Bruno Fernandes and the now injured Amad Diallo.
That has been the case for some time and former manager Erik ten Hag was unable to fix it following a public spat with Cristiano Ronaldo that saw the five-time Ballon d’Or winner leave Old Trafford for a second time.
After missing out on goalscorers like Harry Kane in the past, United will hope to find a new goalscoring machine at the end of the season.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Josh King opens up on failed Manchester United return
During Josh King’s time at Bournemouth, the former United academy graduate missed out on the chance to return to Old Trafford.
United were in desperate need of a striker midway through the season when King had emerged as a strong candidate, after impressing with 12 Premier League goals for the Cherries that season.
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The Norwegian could have formed a reunion with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, too, which would have been quite a story.
However, negotiations fell through, leaving King devastated.
Speaking on the NRK’s Bakromment podcast, King admitted the transfer saga was a personal low in his career.
“The dream was to play for United,” King said, despite making two senior appearances before leaving the club in 2013.
“Now United are struggling with a striker. They have a Norwegian coach who is interested. Put an offer on the table, and I came there for free. And then you say no to £25m.”
King explained then-manager Eddie Howe was ready to permit the transfer, until Bournemouth stood in the way with excessive demands.
“He said: ‘Joshua, I won’t stand in your way, but the club wants x number of millions.”
Josh King snubbed for Odion Ighalo
United decided to look elsewhere for a striker in January 2020.
King was proving too expensive, so a deal was agreed on deadline day for Odion Ighalo to join on loan from Watford.
It was a decision that angered King because it meant he missed out on a dream return to United.
“I just sat in the jacuzzi for two or three hours waiting for the phone,” King recalled.
“I called Jim [Solbakken, his agent], who was working on that deal. And then I remember reading ‘Ighalo ready for United’. Then I was completely devastated. Then I was way down.”
After missing out on a move back to Old Trafford, King decided he had enough of Bournemouth.
He concluded: “That was part of the reason why I wanted to leave Bournemouth and try a new chapter.”