Their best CF since Ronaldo: Man Utd eager to sign “fearless” £44m striker

Manchester United experienced significant difficulties in scoring goals during the 2024/25 season, largely due to the lack of quality output from their forwards.

Neither Rasmus Hojlund nor Joshua Zirkzee offered a sufficiently reliable threat in the number nine position for the Red Devils, particularly in the Premier League.

Zirkzee concluded the season with a modest return of three goals and one assist across 32 top-flight appearances, falling short of his expected goals (xG) tally of 4.82 – a significantly underwhelming performance from the Netherlands international.

Meanwhile, Hojlund netted just four goals without any assists in 32 Premier League outings, also underperforming his xG of 5.24. He was as ineffective as his strike partner, with both managing only four goal contributions from 32 games while failing to meet their expected scoring rates.

Given the dismal performance of their current options, Manchester United clearly needs a new number nine in the summer transfer window to address the issues in this area of the pitch, as even Harry Maguire outscored Hojlund.

Manchester United`s striker problem in the Premier League

The Red Devils have faced a major challenge in the centre-forward position in the Premier League for several years. The return of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021 marks the only time they have had a top-class, dependable number nine in the last half-decade.

Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes finished the 2024/25 season as the club`s joint-top scorers in the league with eight goals each, illustrating the dire situation for the team`s attack.

As the table above demonstrates, Ronaldo is the only pure striker who has scored more than ten goals in a single Premier League season over the last five years. Winger Marcus Rashford and attacking midfielder Fernandes have had to step up to score the most goals in other years.

The last two seasons have been particularly concerning for Manchester United, as they have not had a single player score more than ten goals in the league – just a few seasons after Ronaldo was brought back and fired in 18 top-flight strikes.

Simply put, the club needs to find their next Cristiano Ronaldo. This doesn`t mean they need a striker capable of winning five Ballon d`Or awards, but rather one who can consistently find the back of the net.

Man Utd eyeing swoop for Serie A marksman

According to Tutto Mercato Web, Manchester United are keen on signing Fiorentina centre-forward Moise Kean during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Premier League giants have shown the most interest in the Italy international, having sent scouts to watch him play this season.

It indicates that Kean could be set to leave Florence ahead of the 2025/26 campaign and that United are eager to facilitate his return to the Premier League, where he previously played for Everton.

Tutto Mercato Web also states that the former Juventus attacker has a €52m (£44m) release clause in his contract with Fiorentina, which could allow the Red Devils to make a potentially shrewd signing.

However, the report does note that Kean has reservations about moving to Old Trafford, partly due to the club`s absence from European football next season.

If Manchester United can convince him to make the return to England, despite these doubts, they could potentially sign their best striker since Ronaldo.

Why Kean would be United`s best striker since Ronaldo

Kean`s performances for Fiorentina in Italy this season suggest that he would arrive at Old Trafford as a clear upgrade on the current centre-forward options available to the club.

Naturally, this isn`t the highest praise, given Hojlund and Zirkzee`s combined tally of just seven goals in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign. There isn`t much competition to be the best number nine at the club currently.

However, the Italian attacker`s form for Fiorentina suggests that he has the potential to be the best number nine Old Trafford has seen since Ronaldo.

Kean recorded an impressive tally of 25 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions for the Italian side, which included a return of 19 goals in Serie A.

The 25-year-old forward, once described as `fearless` by manager Thomas Tuchel during their time together at PSG, also scored five goals in 11 Conference League appearances for Fiorentina.

Kean`s scoring record in Serie A, in particular, indicates he has the potential to be United`s best striker since Ronaldo, and perhaps even surpass the impact of the Portuguese icon.