With the summer transfer market set to open in just a few days, all eyes are on Manchester United and who they will approach in their search for a striker.
The Reds, who fell to rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley last weekend, are eager to bolster their attacking options this summer by bringing in a top-tier striker. Despite all of the advancements the team achieved this season, they lacked a focal point at the top of the pitch on which they could depend.
Nobody else on the team consistently stepped up to the plate in front of goal, with the exception of Marcus Rashford, who scored 30 goals across all competitions. It was a significant issue that grew worse during the course of the season.
But United boss Erik ten Hag has made buying a striker his top goal this summer in an effort to address that issue. Additionally, according to sources from last month, funds are reportedly set aside for a potential club-record expenditure in a new attacker.
Ten Hag has made Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur and England his top priority, as has been widely reported in recent months. With only one year left on his Spurs deal, the 29-year-old has made a name for himself as one of the best attackers in the world.
Although they are keeping their options open, United is operating under the assumption that the Londoners will not be willing to transfer Kane this summer. They are keeping an eye on a number of potential candidates, including Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta, who has excelled in his first season with the Italian team.
The Danish striker made a smooth transition to Atalanta from Austrian club Sturm Graz in August. In 34 games, he scored 10 goals and collected four assists. In March, he also helped Denmark upset Finland 3-1 with a hat-trick on his debut senior appearance before scoring twice in a 3-2 loss to Kazakhstan three days later.
Ten Hag has been intrigued by his recent accomplishments, to the point where the Dutchman has, as the Manchester Evening News reported last week, held many video chats with the 20-year-old. He has been listed as a target that the Reds can pursue and might be the ideal Kane substitute.
Despite his inexperience, Hojlund is regarded as one of the top scorers in Europe, and Ten Hag has developed a strong affection for him. Although the young player has previously made it known that he is a United follower and has intimated that he would be enticed to join the club, obviously money will be the determining factor in whether United is successful in signing him.
"Now that you ask, I will not hide the fact that I am a huge Manchester United fan," said Hojlund, speaking earlier this season. "So personally, it would be one of the biggest things for me, but of course that doesn't mean that I would turn down other big clubs if the offers come at some point."
With that in mind, it is practically a given that Hojlund would be more eager to sign with United and more committed to succeed for the team he views as his own. Hojlund may be a suitable fit because Ten Hag has prioritized character and mentality in all of his hires since taking over at Old Trafford last year.
But the striker needs to demonstrate that, even at such a young age, he is capable of leading United's attacking line. He just turned 20 in February, and he has only received five senior international caps.
But Ten Hag has earned the right to be believed. The addition of a high-priced striker cannot be one that he gets wrong, despite the fact that almost all of his purchases have so far had a good effect on United.
However, Hojlund appears to have made it clear that he would be intrigued by a move to Old Trafford, regardless of what transpires with United's hunt for a striker over the coming weeks.
This summer, Manchester United will use a not-so-secret weapon in an effort to bring one of Europe's most exciting talents to Old Trafford.
Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta has drawn comparisons to Erling Haaland, and it is simple to understand why. His strength and speed are comparable to the Norwegian talisman, and he has a soft spot in his heart for a Manchester team.
The 20-year-old is a fan of United, as has been widely documented, so it is unlikely that he would need much persuading to come to Old Trafford. However, the Reds have started using a strategy that was successful with Christian Eriksen, the forward's countryman, to make sure Hojlund is not enticed by other major clubs.
United has been without a manager who can sell the team to a player for long time, but Erik ten Hag has already shown he is capable of doing so. Eriksen is the ideal illustration of a player who was seduced by the vision that the boss had sold to him.
Speaking in April, the midfielder admitted it was a conversation with Ten Hag which made his mind up. "Well, I ended up being at Brentford until the summer, obviously and the contract was running out," he told UTD Podcast.
"So I was free to talk to other clubs and I kept my possibilities open. At the time, I wasn’t closed down on going back to Brentford, I wanted to see what else came in or [if] something could tempt me away from how good it was there."
"And then, of course, United came in. [I was] speaking to the manager on the phone and then I could actually see myself going to United. Luckily, they pulled through [to make the move] and I did as well. So, in the end, coming here was definitely very special."
Intriguingly, MEN Sport has learned that Ten Hag and Hojlund have spoken on the phone numerous times about a transfer to the Theatre of Dreams. Eriksen and Hojlund will team up for Denmark's Euro 2024 qualifying matches next week, and you'd be surprised if United isn't on their to-do list.
United will be hoping that Ten Hag's phone calls on Hojlund will have the same impact they had on Eriksen.