TNT Sports pundit Paul Scholes.
TNT Sports pundit Paul Scholes. (Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Manchester United are just two days out from their season defining Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur but they already have one eye on how they will improve their squad in the summer transfer window.
Victory in Wednesday's final in Bilbao will go some way to determining how much money United can spend, and what players they can attract, given victory will grant them entry into next season's Champions League.
Manchester Evening News understands United will be targeting at least three priority signings this summer and extra firepower up front is an obvious place for improvement.
United's two forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have scored just seven Premier League goals between them this season and key figures at the club are starting to lose confidence in Hojlund, while Zirkzee has been linked with a return to Italy this summer.
Matheus Cunha is expected to complete a £62.5million move to United but the 17-goal Wolves star will likely occupy one of the two attacking midfield roles in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system.
United are also keen to tie up a £30million deal for Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap. The England under-21 international has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season and could well lead the line for United next season.
The potential signing of the 22-year-old has already split opinion among the United fanbase.
Some feel the fact he has scored 12 goals in a relegated side would suggest his tally will only improve playing in a stronger side. Yet others fear United would be signing a young forward with potential, just like they did with Hojlund and Zirkzee, rather than a more experienced forward with a number of seasons scoring goals on a regular basis.
Certainly, United legend Paul Scholes feels United need to add an experienced forward to the ranks, as well as signing Delap.
"United have been linked with signing him and I like Liam Delap," Scholes said last week.
"But he still needs one or two more strikers with him who have got some experience. We’ve been down this road with Rasmus Hojlund coming in as a young striker, and it hasn’t quite worked out so far.
"Again, Delap could be another young striker going to a big club, and you just don’t know what to expect with the club not in a great place at the minute.
"I always say that Manchester United should have three or four top strikers. Right now, they’ve got one who hasn’t really done it, so to sign Delap would be great, but he has to be part of two or three proper centre-forwards."
While the arrivals of Delap and Cunha would be a very good start to United's business early in the window, it will take a massive £92.5m out of their transfer budget.
So if United are to bring in an experienced forward as well as Delap, they will have to try and do so on a cut-price deal. And, as luck would have it, there are two such viable options.
Jonathan David is available on a free transfer when he leaves Lille at the end of next month and he is proven at Champions League level.
David scored nine goals in Europe this season and backed that up with a further 16 goals in Ligue 1. There will be a number of clubs chasing his signature but the Canada international would represent excellent business given the lack of transfer fee involved.
Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic is another option United could pursue. The Serbian international has scored 15 goals this season, having scored 18 goals the season before, but he is expected to leave the club this summer.
Reports in Italy have suggested the 25-year-old could be available for £35million and that would be a bargain price for a forward with proven goalscoring pedigree.
While there are no guarantees United will target another forward if they sign Delap, they may be wise to take heed of Scholes' advice.