Much has been made about a lack of depth in defence at Manchester United, further exacerbated by a string of injuries in recent weeks. However, the same could be said about their options going forward.

Erik ten Hag has had to place his trust in the likes of Rasmus Hojlund (21) and Alejandro Garnacho (19) to rattle the opposition’s net this season.

The former in particular got little time to find his feet in England after joining Man United from Atalanta last summer. In an ideal world, Ten Hag would have preferred to bring in another striker to rotate with Hojlund.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s squads consistently boasted multiple strikers in their ranks at the same time.

From Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Dimitar Berbatov, the legendary Scots always made sure to have quality goal-scoring options to rotate with his first-choice stars.

Interestingly, this summer the club’s hierarchy may get an opportunity to not only sign a player who can play Berbatov’s role in this current United side but also bring similar qualities to the table.

Joshua Zirkzee has been linked with United ahead of the summer transfer window owing to his prolific form with Bologna. It is believed he has a release clause worth €40 million in his contract.

The Dutchman, who previously played for Bayern Munich, has scored 10 goals and assisted thrice in Serie A this term.

Further, his technical ability and all-round play are as impressive as his output, so much so that he has been compared to Berbatov by former Italian striker Robert Acquafresca.

Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, Acquafresca explained: “Will Zirkzee be a transfer man in the summer and if I have to compare him to someone he reminds me a lot of Berbatov because he has great technique and vision of the game and only scores beautiful goals he said that now he also has to score some dirty goals to be even more complete as a striker.”

Considering how smooth Berbatov was with the ball at his feet, some might scoff at the comparison. Regardless, there is no denying that Zirkzee is a top talent.

The 22-year-old certainly possesses the talent to strengthen United’s frontline by challenging Hojlund for the starting spot as well as sharing goal-scoring duties with the Dane.

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Bologna boss Motta is understood to be one of the names on INEOS’ list to potentially replace under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag has overseen a very underwhelming season by United’s usually high standards and it has been suggested he could be sacked at the end of the season to allow Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS to kickstart their era on a clean slate.

Alongside Motta, the Red Devils have also been linked to other top coaches including Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi, Graham Potter, Gareth Southgate, Zinedine Zidane, Gary O’Neil, Carlo Ancelotti, Ruben Amorim and Thomas Frank.

A previous report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Motta, who is also on the radar of Juventus, would prefer a job in England as opposed to Italy – this would represent a major advantage to United in their efforts to land him.

The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is not the only person from Bologna who has been mentioned to be of interest to United.

It has been stated that Ten Hag’s side also want striker Joshua Zirkzee as the hunt for a reliable forward partner for Rasmus Hojlund gathers pace.

Fenucci spoke to Radio Serie A on Monday (via Football Italia) and addressed the “noise” surrounding Motta and claims they could be on the move to United or other interested parties.

He said about Motta, “Thiago is working like he had a long-term contract with us. It’s not a problem that he hasn’t yet confirmed his journey with us for the coming years. What bothers me a little is the continuous rumours and the noise around our players. I am not okay with it.”

“We are a strong club, one of the most solid in Serie A and we don’t want to change this group in the future. It’s very annoying to see many of our players linked with other clubs, it’s not a nice feeling.”

The Bologna director added, “However, I am sure this has a limited effect on them as they are all focused on our target and happy to be at Bologna. Our club is solid financially thanks to our owner [Joey Saputo], and we have long-term plans for the club’s growth, sporting results, and organisation.”

“We have a long-term vision and financial solidity to continue on this journey. We are in the race with clubs that aim for a Champions League placement every year; their revenues allow them to plan for the future with these sorts of targets.”

On players like Zirkzee possibly leaving in search of pastures anew, Fenucci remarked, “We want to keep them all in Rossoblu, which is their colour.”

Bologna are on track to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history and have the opportunity to further cement their place in the league rankings when they take on rivals AS Roma in a week’s time.

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United have been previously linked to Zirkzee, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS thought to be keen on securing the services of a striker to share the goalscoring burden with young Rasmus Hojlund.

Despite showing encouraging glimpses of his brilliance and the player he can become, Hojlund still requires help and cannot be relied upon to lead the United line on his own. The Red Devils also require quality depth in the number nine position.

So far, United have been mentioned to be in for talismans like Evan Ferguson, Ivan Toney, Thalys and of course, Zirkzee.

A recent report covered by The Peoples Person explained that Erik ten Hag’s side are not the only side weighing up a move for Zirkzee, who is also admired at Arsenal and AC Milan.

It was communicated that the Dutch forward prefers a transfer to AC Milan over England as he already knows the Serie A very well and wouldn’t need to undertake a period of adaptation to a new league as would be the case if he moved to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Bologna want to keep their prized asset despite the mounting interest in his services both from Italy and abroad.

According to Il Resto del Carlino (via Bologna Sports News), Aston Villa have also joined the race for Zirkzee and have moved to steal a march on other suitors by starting to work on a deal to lure the goalscorer to Villa Park.

Villa are now in the driving seat to sign Zirkzee and have the advantage of the expertise of their sporting director Monchi, who knows the Italian football landscape well and has very good connections from his time at AS Roma.

Monchi wants the United target, especially considering Villa are on track to qualify for the Champions League and their primary source of goals, Ollie Watkins is attracting overtures from bigger clubs due to the prolific 2023/24 season he is currently enjoying.

It’s believed that the Villa management has already established contact with Joorabchian to get a deal for Zirkzee going, ahead of clubs like United.

Zirkzee’s representative has made it clear that his client wants wages of around €4m a year. He currently earns a salary of between €800k – €900k.

Meanwhile, Bologna want €60-70m in terms of the transfer fee to permanently part ways with the 22-year-old. It’s important to note that Bayern Munich retain a €40m buy option to exercise at the end of the season.

It’s easy to see why United are following Zirkzee. He has plundered 10 goals and three assists in 29 top-flight games.

The Netherlands international is an adaptable forward who stands at 6ft 4in. His stature and power enable him to be an aerial threat and he has previously been compared to Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.

Zirkzee is adaptable and can be deployed both as a target man or as a link-up striker tasked with bringing others into play by holding up the ball.

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Alejandro Garnacho struck a brace but some poor defending allowed Cole Palmer to strike a hat-trick and condemn the Red Devils to their 12th defeat of the current campaign.

After scoring in seven consecutive league games, Rasmus Hojlund has not scored in his last three appearances but still remains the only player with double digit goals this campaign.

Marcus Rashford’s commitment was once again questioned following a disappointing cameo at Stamford Bridge and with Anthony Martial set to leave in the summer, recruiting a striker in the summer is of utmost importance.

United’s striker hunt

United have been linked with a multiple of frontmen throughout the campaign but one name that keeps getting mentioned is Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna.

The 22-year-old has 11 goals and six assists in 31 games across all competitions and is the Serie A team’s top-scorer with Thiago Motta’s men currently fourth and in with a chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

The Netherlands U21 international’s displays have alerted United to his availability with Arsenal also reportedly in the race. But as per Gazzetta Dello Sport, AC Milan are currently in pole position for the former Bayern Munich star.

Zirkzee, who had won the Champions League during his time in Bavaria, has been likened to Robert Lewandowski in the past and the Bundesliga giants have a buyback clause but the player is reluctant to return as he “prefers to stay in Serie A” for the time being.

At the Rossoneri, he would be the undisputed starter and have the chance to prove his worth at a huge club with an interesting project under Stefano Pioli.

“Certainly, he prefers Milan to Bayern Munich, which has a 40 million option to exercise at the end of the season.

“Joshua knows that at Milan he will not need to change, he will play in a championship and face a group of opponents that he knows well, at the same time he can also test himself in the Champions League and be with a great team.”

The major obstacle will be his prospective fee with Bologna looking at United’s deal for Hojlund last summer and using it as a benchmark and are set to ask for around €70-80 million.

Zirkzee prefers Serie A stay

The seven-time Champions League winners cannot afford to pay that amount and are willing to throw in Alexis Saelemaekers as part of a player-plus-cash deal.

Their main fear is United and Arsenal could potentially blow them out of the water if they come in with an offer Bologna cannot refuse.

“It is reasonable to hypothesize that Milan could reach close to 50 million, taking advantage of Alexis Saelemaekers loan, which Bologna can redeem for around ten million and is highly appreciated by Thiago Motta.

“If the big English teams arrive in Italy with a bag full of coins, they become irresistible. Manchester United have already made a move for Zirkzee and, if they returned with a big cheque, the player has a good chance of leaving. The same goes for Arsenal, who are less talked about but have a perfect project for Zirkzee.”

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They are on course to record their lowest-ever scoring season, with the record currently standing at 49, registered during Louis van Gaal’s final season in charge, which fans will remember for being a snore fest.

Rasmus Hojlund, despite this being his debut season in the Premier League, is the only player to have reached double digit goals this term.

Manager Erik ten Hag always knew it would be unwise to place his faith on a 21-year-old coming to England on the back of one season in Italy.

Rasmus needs help

While the Dane has delivered, last season’s top scorer Marcus Rashford has looked like a shadow of his former self while Anthony Martial remains perennially injured and on course to leave the club at the conclusion of the current campaign.

New minority stakeholders INEOS have plans to bring in a striker in the summer but they will have to be careful with regards to their selection so as to not disrupt the Denmark’s international’s progress.

A guaranteed starter coming in could mean Hojlund’s minutes go down while an experienced hitman or an upcoming talent could work well in tandem with the current United striker.

As per Givemesport, the 20-time English league champions seem to be thinking along similar lines as they mention Evan Ferguson or Benjamin Sesko would be a better fit than Victor Osimhen.

“The Red Devils want to bring in support for Rasmus Hojlund. The Denmark international is on a scoring streak and has settled at Old Trafford and it’s now certain that Manchester United will think longer-term because Hojlund is proving he can score regularly now.

Striker chase

“RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Brighton’s Evan Ferguson are two potential options. Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, who is also a AC Milan target, is on Manchester United’s radar as well. It is less likely that they will enter the race for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.”

The Nigerian is expected to cost a bomb and it makes sense to look past him. The Slovenian has 11 goals to his name, the same as the Netherlands U21 international.

The Republic of Ireland international’s form, however, has fallen off a cliff with the 19-year-old not scoring since November. He has six goals to his name this season but is still valued at €60 million according to Transfermarkt.

It will be intriguing to see in which direction the club travel in regarding recruitment once the entire backroom staff have been assembled.

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They remain eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth and six behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, albeit having played a game more than the North London side.

A top four finish at this time looks unlikely and the FA Cup represents the best chance at European football but Liverpool are up next in the quarterfinals.

Even if United win, Erik ten Hag still might not find himself in a job in the summer with INEOS reportedly looking at quite a few replacements.

Motta, a replacement

One of them is former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta, currently in charge of Bologna who are fourth in Serie A and have the chance to qualify for the Champions League.

They are ahead of the likes of defending champions Napoli, AS Roma, Atalanta and the former Brazil and Italy international has been dubbed as “one of the best young coaches” in Europe currently.

Apart from the Red Devils, Juventus are also keeping an eye on Motta and club director Claudio Fenucci was asked about interest in their manager and star players.

Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee has also been extensively linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams with the former Bayern Munich star finding the back of the net 11 times thus far.

Fenucci, in an interview with TMW, clarified that the Italian side have no intention of parting with the manager but was far less convincing when it came to their star striker.

Zirkzee, another target

“The coach was the architect of this growth and we hope both he and the players will remain with us. Thiago is very happy in Bologna, it’s as if he already has a longer contract than he actually has.

“About Joshua… We don’t like to talk much of the future of our players, we prefer to live every moment of the present, there is great enthusiasm. In any case, the desire would be to keep everyone.”

It is clear that the Italian side will not be able to keep a hold of their striker who is generating a lot of interest in the Premier League.

As for the Champions League winner, his form might have alerted the big sides but he lacks the necessary experience and ideally, the Red Devils will likely look somewhere else if Ten Hag is indeed sacked.

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The striker position is understood to be a position Erik ten Hag wants to strengthen.

Despite Rasmus Hojlund being in red-hot form and currently showing why United spent big money to sign him last summer, it’s clear more is needed in the attacking department.

Young Hojlund needs help and United require sufficient and quality depth, especially considering Anthony Martial is on his way out of the club.

It was previously stated that the Red Devils will target Zirkzee when the summer transfer window opens.

Bologna ae thought to be open to selling the player and are holding out for more than €40 million due to Bayern Munich having a sell-on clause contained in his contract.

Zirkzee scored a fantastic goal during the weekend – which was the winner against Lazio – to put his side in strong contention for a first European finish since 2000.

It was his 10th goal of the campaign

Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb suggest that Arsenal have an advantage over other interested parties keen on Zirkzee, due to the excellent relationship they enjoy with the agent of the talisman.

The newspaper explains that Zirkzee will cost teams around €50-60million. Only Bayern can re-sign him for €40m.

Elsewhere, Corriere Dello Sport (via TEAMtalk) relay that enthusiasm for the 22-year-old is growing and Chelsea are now monitoring him.

The Blues are believed to have been scouting Zirkzee while in action for Bologna.

Other parties credited with an interest include Juventus, AC Milan, Roma and Barcelona. It’s certainly shaping up to be a fierce transfer battle for the striker.

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As relayed by The Peoples Person yesterday, Old Trafford officials are reported to have made “contact” with the Frenchman’s representatives to gauge his interest in a move.

Florian Plettenberg contends United are “very interested” in signing Tel as the club seeks to buttress a forward line which has struggled in front of goal this season.

While the form of Erik ten Hag’s forwards has dramatically improved in recent months, United are likely to target a new right-winger and striker this summer.

Anthony Martial is expected to depart Old Trafford when his contract expires at the end of the season, freeing up space for a replacement.

Rasmus Hojlund has been in red hot form in recent weeks and the club are thought to be very happy with the Dane’s development this season. As such, a new striker is likely to be a rotational option, rather than a definite starter.

Tel’s positional versatility – capable of playing on both wings or through the middle – would make him an ideal candidate for this role. The 18-year-old could function as an effective compliment to Hojlund, rather than an unhelpful competitor.

Plettenberg reveals United scouts have been analysing the French forward in recent weeks and are believed to have been impressed with their findings. He describes Tel as “in the spotlight” for United at present.

More on Mathys #Tel X ManUtd:

In the past few weeks, ManUtd have intensively analyzed him

The club have contacted his management and inquired about a potential transfer in the summer

#MUFC definitely want to sign another striker in the summer. Aside from that,… pic.twitter.com/qUVFOg0JtU

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) February 17, 2024

With a well-established front four of Harry Kane, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala, as well as the experienced Thomas Muller, already in place at Bayern, Tel may be tempted by the less competitive queue in attack at Old Trafford.

Plettenberg indicates the 18-year-old remains “100% focused” on the Bundesliga champions, however.

Tel’s agent, Gadiri Camara, reiterated his player’s love for Bayern, but did admit they would consider a departure in the summer if the relationship with the German club did not improve.

“Mathys loves Bayern, the fans…and he wants to be important and win all the trophies. Sometimes you just need to feel like you’re on the same path. I’m confident about it. If not, we have to consider all options”, Camara stated.

ManUnited ist an Mathys Tel interessiert, wie ⁦@Plettigoal⁩ zuerst berichtete. Tels Berater Camara sagt zu ⁦@BILD_Sport⁩: „Wir werden es sehr bald sehen, aber ich bin zuversichtlich. Aber wenn nicht, müssen wir alle Optionen in Betracht ziehen“ https://t.co/GW10Z47Fur

— Tobi Altschäffl (@altobelli13) February 17, 2024

Translation: Man United is interested in Mathys Tel, as ⁦@Plettigoal⁩ first reported. Tel’s advisor Camara says to ⁦@BILD_Sport: “We will see very soon, but I am confident. But if not, we have to consider all options.”

One forward who is believed to less of a priority for United now is Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch striker had been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, with a fee in excess of €40 million required to secure his services.

However, Plettenberg contends this interest has cooled. “Manchester United’s interest in Zirkzee is still present, but has somewhat diminished in the meantime,” the German reporter writes.

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Manchester United are scouting talented duo, Joao Neves and Joshua Zirkzee, but as of yet, there is nothing close to advanced between the club and the players.

This is according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking to CaughtOffside in his daily briefing, Romano claimed that while the Red Devils have an interest in both players, a transfer agreement is far from being reached.

“Joao Neves of Benfica is always linked because he’s being scouted but nothing concrete is taking place now. He’s a top talent and so links are not surprising, but there’s nothing else going on because we need to see what will be the United strategy under their new director”.

After recently appointing CEO, Omar Berrada, United are aiming to hire a sporting director in the not too distant future.

This is largely down to the huge body of work that must be carried out at the Old Trafford side in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Consequently, the world-famous transfer journalists reports that the same is true of another young target.

“The same is true for Joshua Zirkzee – it’s just normal scouting activity, but too early to know what United will decide to do here. Also, AC Milan have a concrete interest in Zirkzee for sure but the strategy for the summer will be made in the next months, not now”.

It had been reported that the Red Devils were set to initiate talks with Benfica over Neves. However, Benfica have denied that there has been any contact for the player.

Furthermore, Manchester City have also been recently seen to be the favourites to land the 19 year old sensation.

In the case of Zirkzee, reports have suggested that United are the main English club interested in the Dutch striker.

It has also been relayed here that Bologna are prepared to let the striker leave this summer if their valuation of €40m is met.

Romano’s comments certainly do not rule out a move for either player but logically, until a sporting director is in place, it is normal that summer targets will not be more concrete until such time. However, both names certainly remain ones to keep an eye on as the summer window approaches.

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It was the young trio of Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and Kobbie Mainoo who shone the brightest with manager Erik ten Hag lavishing praise on the youthful stars.

It was great to see the Dane, who struggled to score in England in the first half of the season, grow in confidence with Sunday’s goal, his fifth in the last six appearances, coming with a rasping drive off his right foot.

The Dutch manager always believed in the Denmark international and hence the significant outlay on his price in the summer.

United need a striker

But it would have been far more prudent to bring in an experienced head to play alongside the 20-year-old so as to avoid heaping further pressure on the youngster.

Anthony Martial was his usual lackadaisical self, and has been ruled out for three months due to injury and is likely to leave the club in the summer.

Marcus Rashford has struggled on the pitch while creating unnecessary headlines off it and the club need to bring in a striker next summer.

The Dutchman had claimed that he wanted someone to be brought in during January but FFP concerns meant nothing came of it.

INEOS are unlikely to back the manager when it comes to a deal for Brian Brobbey of Ajax, and most recent reports have linked the Red Devils with a move for Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna.

The Netherlands U21 international has nine goals and six assists from 21 starts across all competitions, with a goal involvement coming every 130 minutes.

Bayern Munich, who had an option to buy him for a cheaper rate as he was their academy product, have no intention of coming back for him and the Serie A club are in no mood to agree a cheap sale of their rising star.

Calciomercato have now reported that Bologna are open to a sale in the summer and are holding out for more than €40 million due to Bayern having a sell-on clause.

United remain in pole position among clubs outside Italy while AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli are also sniffing around for a player likened to Robert Lewandowski during his Bayern days.

Zirkzee links

“Zirkzee, barring any surprises, will say goodbye to the two Towers, but whoever wants it will have to put a significant sum on the table, in excess of 40 million euros.

“In Italy there is a club that has moved with great conviction, which has put it at the top of the wish list, namely Milan. To date, Juventus and Napoli are further behind, while abroad it is above all Manchester United who have asked for information.”

Arsenal have been linked with a move as well and hopefully, United can get the deal over the line if they are truly interested in Zirkzee.

This is the 2019/20 Champions League winner’s first full season in Italy and it will be interesting to see if the club goes for another up and coming talent or chooses to bring in someone who is more experienced.

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