'Plausible target' - Man Utd 'track' nine-goal striker who has two things Ruben Amorim loves
Man Utd will prioritise the addition of a striker in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Ipswich star Liam Delap as they look to sign a new striker at the end of the season. United added two defenders to their squad in the January transfer window and head coach Ruben Amorim is eager to see a striker signed in the summer.
Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen have both been linked with a move to Old Trafford, but club hierarchy would rather see a younger profile of forward added to their squad as they look to build for a more sustainable future.
Delap, 22, has scored nine goals in the Premier League so far this season and is under consideration for a future move. He could become an even more attractive proposition if Ipswich are relegated and have less financial pulling power to keep him at the club.
Delap a ‘plausible target’
In a piece looking at the striker options available to United this summer, The Athletic named Delap as a more plausible target for the club than the likes of Sporting star Gyokeres and RB Leipzig marksman Benjamin Sesko.
The say United have been tracking Delap this season and he is well-known to technical director Jason Wilcox, who was academy director at Man City when they signed the striker from Derby. The report says the 22-year-old has often shown the type of aggressive running and presence Amorim wants in a centre-forward, but a move could be complicated if Ipswich stay up.
It is reported Ipswich would demand 'a significant fee' if they stay up, which could price United out of a move. A deal is seen as more likely if they are relegated to the Championship, though Chelsea are also credited with 'serious' interest in the youngster. The other complication is City inserted a £40million buyback clause in the sale of Delap last summer, which could give them an advantage in any future deal.
The report adds United have also scouted Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, and had scouts in place to watch him feature against Tottenham earlier in the month. The 25-year-old has scored 14 goals in the Premier League this season and Brentford would reportedly look for a club-record sale this summer.