Manchester United’s pursuit of Ivan Toney has come to an end, following the Brentford striker’s eight-month ban over betting charges. Toney had been considered a potential target for Man Utd as they look for a new number nine, but the England international will not be able to play until January 2023 due to the FA’s disciplinary action against him.
However, Man Utd still has several other options for a new centre-forward, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane remaining the most prominent name linked to Old Trafford. Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is also said to be of interest to United, along with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, Roma’s Tammy Abraham, and Ajax’s Brian Brobbey, despite his unspectacular goals record.
A big gap to fill in attack
Manchester United has been lacking an elite, in-form number nine ever since Erik ten Hag took over as manager last summer. The club’s previous striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, had a controversial second spell with the club that ended with him finding the net just three times in his final 16 appearances before his departure by mutual consent in November.
While Wout Weghorst arrived on loan from Burnley in January, he was never seen as a long-term solution to United’s need for a top-class striker. As a result, the club has been actively searching for a new number nine, with several players, including Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, being linked as potential targets for the upcoming transfer window.