Manchester United are thought to be lining up a shock move to sign free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, according to reports - with the recently-released Everton star still not having found a club after his contract expired on Merseyside.
Ruben Amorim has transformed his attack this summer with the additions of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, spending almost £200million on a new-look attack at Old Trafford - and he could still add to that with the arrival of the Toffees icon.
Report: Man Utd 'Lining Up' Dominic Calvert-Lewin Bid
Dominic Calvert-Lewin during a pre-match warm-up at Everton
The report by CaughtOffside states that Calvert-Lewin's availability on the free agent market has sparked a flurry of interest from clubs in the UK and abroad - with United now in the running to land his signature.
Nine years at Everton saw the Sheffield-born striker score 57 top-flight goals in 240 Premier League games for the Toffees, with two of those being double-figure seasons in the 2019-20 and 2020–21 campaigns.
Although goals have dried up in recent seasons, that has been down to Everton's lack of joy in front of goal and his aerial prowess is second-to-none - making him a tantalising prospect for any interested club in need of a proven Premier League forward.
The former England international is reportedly demanding £100,000-a-week from his next employers, which falls into United's plans, and the report states that they are 'exploring' the possibility of a move for the target man, with Amorim needing depth in attack.
The Red Devils boss is keen on a 'rotational' setup, viewing him as a 'third or fourth-choice striker' who would be strong cover across the campaign. The club have signed Sesko from RB Leipzig, which has pushed Rasmus Hojlund down the pecking order as well as Joshua Zirkzee, whilst Matheus Cunha can also play up front if needed - and so the move for Calvert-Lewin is a surprise.
However, it's uncertain if Calvert-Lewin would rather move to a club who could offer him a guaranteed starting spot, as opposed to being a third-choice at a club that aren't competing in European football - with United's 15th-placed finish last season being a poor campaign that saw them miles away from the top-half.
A loss in the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur means that they failed to qualify for continental football for just the second time since Alex Ferguson departed in 2013 and that could be detrimental to their chances to sign Calvert-Lewin if he's to be a bit-part player.
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