Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres is attracting interest from Europe
Ask any Manchester United supporter what they want out of this summer's transfer window and the chances are 99 per cent of them will give you the same answer.
After ending each of the last two Premier League seasons with a negative goal difference, United cannot afford to head into the start of next term without a new marksman.
may have impacted United's recruitment plans but he represented another gamble they cannot afford to take.
United gambled on Rasmus Hojlund in the 2023 summer transfer window and did likewise with Joshua Zirkzee last summer. Neither of them are safe from being pointed in the direction of the exit door this summer.
Available for £30million via a release clause that was triggered following Ipswich Town's immediate relegation back to the Championship, Delap was an attainable option. However, after just one full season in the Premier League, United would have been buying potential, whereas they need somebody established.
Strikers of that ilk, though, do not come cheaply. After failing to boost their finances by winning last week's Europa League final, United are not going to be as threatening in this summer's window as they might have been.
Or so they might have thought. could inject a game-changing sum of money into Ruben Amorim's transfer budget.
A £100m bid has been mooted and the prospect of such an eye-watering fee being secured would give United a leg up in their search for a striker. On the other side of the coin, however, losing a player as talented as Fernandes would leave a huge void in the team.
Bruno Fernandes is contemplating his future. (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images.)
Nevertheless, £100m would give United a lot more scope to source the striker they so desperately need. It is why, if funds are generated to make it possible, United should go all out to sign Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede is arguably the most sought-after striker in Europe right now after another blistering campaign in Portugal.
Since joining Sporting from Coventry City two years ago, Gyokeres, who turns 27 next week, has plundered an incredible 97 goals in 102 games. He has also contributed 28 assists.
His numbers are jaw-dropping and he is, of course, no stranger to Amorim. The pair worked together at Sporting and Gyokeres scored 66 goals in 68 matches under his stewardship.
The Sweden international scored 54 times for Sporting this season and will reportedly be available for somewhere between £60m and £70m. Without selling Fernandes or possibly one or two other big-name players, United will be unable to fund a deal for him.
Gyokeres excelled in the Champions League this season, scoring six goals in eight games. He also chipped in with five goals in nine appearances in the Europa League in 2023/24. With that in mind, he could be forgiven for wanting to join a club that can offer him European football next season.
However, Amorim's relationship with him may give United an advantage. Gyokeres may also be enthused to work with his former boss and try to fix what is a broken attack.
United should not be looking to sell Fernandes this summer; he is their best player by a mile and will leave a gaping hole. However, if he does move on, United must reinvest the money in an elite-level striker.