Manchester United will be eager to put the 2024/25 season behind them after recording their lowest ever Premier League finish and points total, finishing the year with a mere 42 points.
Ruben Amorim took charge in November but couldn`t turn their fortunes around, making this summer crucial for his potential success at Old Trafford.
The January transfer window offered his first chance to reshape the squad as he wished, but it proved insufficient for the extensive transfers required.
Nevertheless, recruitment efforts began this summer with attacker Matheus Cunha being the first arrival, joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £62.5m deal.
To climb the league table and secure any kind of European football by the end of the 2025/26 season, further reinforcements are needed across the squad, and work is already underway behind the scenes.
The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker
Recently, United strongly pursued Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, hoping to reunite the player with the Red Devils manager.
However, reports confirmed the Swede is only keen on joining Arsenal this summer, leaving the club hierarchy needing to quickly explore alternative targets before the window closes.
It seems Jason Wilcox has moved swiftly, reportedly initiating a bid for Eintracht Frankfurt`s key player, Hugo Ekitiké.
Reports suggest United are frontrunners for the 22-year-old striker, who is also attracting interest from Liverpool and Chelsea, having scored 22 goals in all competitions during 2024/25.
It`s also reported that they`ve begun discussions, putting them ahead of other English clubs in the pursuit of his signature. However, a potential deal could cost the club €100m (£84m) this summer.
Why Ekitike could be United’s answer to Kane
Harry Kane has historically been a formidable opponent for United, frequently performing well against them and hindering their progress.
The England international netted 213 goals in the English top flight during his career before moving to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.
Even after transferring to Germany, the 31-year-old has continued to pose a threat to the Red Devils, scoring against them in the Champions League and contributing a total of 11 goals and assists in his 21 appearances against the club.
It`s clear United have lacked such a prolific goalscorer in recent seasons, a situation that could change with the potential signing of Ekitike this summer.
The Frenchman is considered a similar player to Kane, with the Frankfurt forward demonstrating statistics that match or exceed Kane in several key areas, highlighting his potential value despite the significant cost.
Ekitike, described as “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, might have fewer combined goals and assists overall, but he boasts a higher goal-per-shot-on-target rate, indicating greater clinical finishing.
He also successfully completes more take-ons and carries the ball further into the final third, underlining his threat when driving at opponents.
| Most combined goals & assists in the Bundesliga (2024/25) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Games | G&A |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 31 | 34 |
| Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | 34 | 27 |
| Omar Marmoush | Eintracht Frankfurt | 17 | 24 |
| Hugo Ekitiké | Eintracht Frankfurt | 33 | 23 |
| Serhou Guirassy | Borussia Dortmund | 30 | 23 |
| Tim Kleindienst | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 31 | 23 |
| Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen | 31 | 22 |
The former PSG player has also won more aerial duels this season, potentially providing Amorim with the central attacking presence he`s sought since arriving in the winter.
While £84m might seem a considerable sum for a player untested in the Premier League, it represents a chance to acquire a talent capable of elevating the team.
If he can reach performance levels comparable to Kane`s in the Premier League, it would be a fantastic acquisition, with his abilities certainly helping to steer the club back towards success.
