Better than Osimhen: Man Utd close to agreement for "hottest CF in Europe"
da casino： The relief was evident on the face of Rasmus Hojlund on Sunday afternoon, with the struggling striker guiding the ball home in the last knockings of stoppage time to snatch a draw for Manchester United at Bournemouth.
da spicy bet： The Danish speedster showcased his rarely-seen centre-forward instincts to direct the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga from close range, with the visitors managing to avoid what would have been a 16th Premier League defeat of the season against their ten-man hosts.
Hopefully, that late strike should help to instil much-needed confidence in the 22-year-old heading into a crucial week in the Europa League, with the former Atalanta man the only senior striker available to Ruben Amorim, amid Joshua Zirkzee’s recent injury blow.
With 17-year-old sensation, Chido Obi, also ineligible to feature in Europe, the onus is now on Hojlund to deliver on the continent, with the Red Devils desperately needing their leading number nine to hit form over the coming weeks.
Whatever occurs between now and the end of May, however, it would appear that the fate of the 6 foot 4 marksman has already been sealed, with the signing of a new striker now hot on the agenda heading into the summer transfer window.
Latest on Man Utd's search for a striker
Work is already being done to bring in Wolverhampton Wanderers star, Matheus Cunha, to Old Trafford ahead of next season, although the in-form Brazilian is set to strengthen the number ten berth, rather than replacing Hojlund through the middle.
As for a potential new number nine, recent reports have suggested that Ipswich Town talisman Liam Delap is under consideration, albeit with the £30m man still something of a gamble due to his lack of top-flight experience, despite netting 12 league goals this term.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen has been touted as a leading target for Amorim, with United said to be pushing for a cut-price deal to land the prolific Nigerian.
The 26-year-old would be a worthwhile addition, although the suggestion is that the Red Devils have turned their attention to another leading figure, with Football Insider reporting that a move for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres could be a ‘done deal’.
Indeed, as per the report, it is claimed that United feel they are in a ‘strong position to finalise an agreement’ for the Swedish striker, with the 26-year-old deemed to be the ‘top target’, amid his prior relationship with Amorim.
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There is said to be a ‘growing confidence’ that INEOS can win the race for his signature, ahead of rivals Arsenal, with Gyokeres potentially the transformative signing that Amorim is in desperate need of.
How Man Utd could land a better signing than Osimhen
Hojlund’s latest effort can’t cloud what has been a miserable season for the one-time Sturm Graz starlet, with that strike on the south coast having been just his fourth league goal in 2024/25 to date.
Five goals have come his way in the Europa League, although the £85k-per-week asset hasn’t actually scored in the competition since December, with questions rightly being asked over his long-term future at the Theatre of Dreams.
It’s fair to say that either Osimhen or Gyokeres would represent a significant upgrade on Hojlund next term, with the former having scored 31 times while on loan at Galatasaray this season – taking his overall career tally to 145 goals in just 259 senior club appearances.
As for Gyokeres, while the former Coventry City man has enjoyed a slower rise to stardom, amid his days in the EFL and on the books at Brighton and Hove Albion, he has simply soared following his £17m switch to Lisbon in 2023.
Plucked from the Championship by Amorim, the towering goal machine has since scored 95 times in just 98 games for the Liga Portugal side, with 66 of those coming in just 68 games under Amorim.
European Golden Boot race – 2024/25
Player
Goals
Coefficient
Points
Viktor Gyokeres
38
1.5
57
Mo Salah
28
2
56
Robert Lewandowski
25
2
50
Harry Kane
24
2
48
Mateo Retegui
24
2
48
Kylian Mbappe
22
2
44
Alexander Isak
22
2
44
Mika Biereth
24
2
42.5
Ousmane Dembele
21
2
42
Erling Haaland
21
2
42
Omar Marmoush
21
2
42
Stats via Transfermarkt
A recent four-goal haul against Boavista ensured that Gyokeres has now reached 52 goals in just 48 games in all competitions during the current campaign, thus far eclipsing Osimhen’s own record in Turkey.
What also stands out regarding arguably the “hottest striker in Europe” – as per ESPN’s Mark Ogden – is that he also boasts 12 assists in 2024/25 to date, again placing him ahead of Osimhen (eight assists) with regard to that creative streak.
Of course, taking the leap from operating outside of Europe’s top five leagues to then trying to thrive in the Premier League is a big step, although Gyokeres’ prior work under Amorim’s watch should be reason for excitement.
With Hojlund misfiring this season, the race is on for the new United boss to find his next, Gyokeres-esque attacking talisman. Osimhen, of course, would certainly be a more than adequate replica – yet why not go for the man himself?
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