Man Utd will prioritise a striker in the summer transfer window.
There can be no ignoring the fact Manchester United were handed a transfer blow when they were informed Liam Delap had rejected a move this summer. The 22-year-old had been identified as the preferred target in their search for a new striker after an impressive breakthrough season at Ipswich.
Delap might have only scored 12 goals for Ipswich in the Premier League, but that is still an impressive haul for someone of his relative inexperience at a club who were involved in a relegation scrap from the start. United felt Delap represented exceptional value for money due to his £30 million release clause, while he also had the physical traits Ruben Amorim wants from a striker this summer.
United will now head back to the drawing board as they look to strengthen their attack this summer, and teenage striker Chido Obi has sent them a timely reminder about the type of player they should be after.
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An experienced striker is needed
Chido Obi was named on the bench as Manchester United came from behind to beat Hong Kong in their second post-season friendly on Friday. It didn't take long for him to make a significant impact when he was introduced.
United had 15 shots in the first-half of the match but improbably trailed at the break to a side that had mustered just one. It was the type of wasteful attacking display fans had seen so often over the past season. The perfect taste of a real United matchday for the fans inside the stadium.
Then they brought Obi on at half-time and five minutes later they were level. The 17-year-old collected the ball on the edge of the box with his back to goal and used his initiative to move the ball into a central position, before he turned and fired a ferocious effort into the bottom left corner of the goal. Half an hour later he had another when he met a Mason Mount cross with a glancing header. It was an excellent demonstration of centre-forward play that has been rarely demonstrated by Rasmus Hojlund.
It was also a timely reminder of what United need this summer. It was a real achievement to sign Obi when he left Arsenal last year and he is viewed as an exceptional talent with the potential to make a serious impact at first-team level. It is only potential though, and he will only fulfil it if he is nurtured carefully.
Had United signed another raw talent like Delap they would have added to the inexperience of their forward line, rather than solved their problems. There has never been a more compelling argument to spend big on a proven goal scorer such as Viktor Gyokeres or Victor Osimhen this summer, who can make an immediate impact and act as a mentor for the wonderkid they have at their disposal.
United not only need to sign a star striker, they need to develop their next one.
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