da bet esporte： By the reckoning of the tabloids, Robin van Persie’s Manchester United career will come to an abrupt end this summer.
da pixbet： It’s been a short but relatively successful Old Trafford tenure for the Netherlands international since arriving from Arsenal in summer 2012. He boasts 57 goals in 105 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, firing them to a Premier League title during his debut 2012/13 campaign.
But now 31 years of age, his hair greying with every fixture and injuries continually ruling him out for significant periods of the season, United look set to trade RVP in for a younger model. Recent speculation suggests a £10million move to Serie A champions Juventus.
But who might that younger model actually be? One of the Premier League’s greatest ever strikers and Oranje’s all-time top goalscorer, van Persie’s shooting boots are certainly tough ones to fill.
There’s a handful of Manchester United targets already out there that could step up to the plate, however, and being the helpful bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve listed FIVE of them.
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JACKSON MARTINEZ
FC Porto’s Jackson Martinez may be just outside the world’s front-man elite, but he certainly possesses the firepower to keep Manchester United ticking over for a season or two.
Indeed, the Colombian international boasts a sensational return of 92 goals in 132 appearances for the Dragons, leading to three consecutive Golden Boots in the Primeira Liga and firing Porto to a league title during the 2012/13 campaign.
Proving himself to be Portuguese football’s most potent front-man and now 28 years of age, Martinez has already confirmed his intentions to leave Estadio do Dragao this summer.
Powerful, quick, tall and monikered Cha-Cha-Cha for his dancelike grace in the final third, the former Chiapas star seems like a natural suitor to the physical demands of Premier League football.
His £25million release clause is more than affordable but Manchester United will have to act quickly; according to agent Luiz Henrique Pompeo, Martinez will announce a move to a ‘top European club’ within days.
GONZALO HIGUAIN
According to some sources, Manchester United have already agreed personal terms with Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain.
He’d certainly be an impressive addition to their strike-force. Not only does the Argentina international offer a copious supply of goals, boasting a career return of 215 in 453 appearances throughout his spells with River Plate, Real Madrid, the Naples outfit and Abliceleste, but he’s no stranger to the assists chart either; Higuain has claimed eleven set-ups in 46 outings for his country, and 15 over the last two Serie A campaigns.
Louis van Gaal loves his ‘multi-functional footballers’ and the 27 year-old firmly falls into that category, adept in the roles of scorer and provider and capable of playing out wide, as he’s consistently done for both club and country over the last few years.
A Napoli departure this summer is certainly likely following their failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League tournament. But even if United have already agreed personal terms with the former Bernabeu assassin, there’s still the issue of the Italian outfit’s rather overzealous £42million valuation.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Peter Schmeichel believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born to play for Manchester United and I firmly agree.
The Sweden international may be 33 years of age but he’s still undoubtedly one of the most formidable front men on the continent, boasting a virtually unplayable 6 foot 5 frame, generation-defining ingenuity and a potent haul of 30 goals in 35 appearances for PSG this season.
Likewise, the enigmatic striker is a natural born winner; he hasn’t lost a title race since the 2002/03 campaign, spanning spells with Ajax, Inter Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG.
Something tells me he and Louis van Gaal will become the best of friends or worst of enemies, but in terms of what Zlatan can do on the pitch he’s certainly the calibre of player United should be targeting this summer.
Furthermore, rumour has it that he might be about to force a move away from Parc de Princes after discovering the Ligue 1 champions won’t be extending his contract past the end of next season.
According to the tabloids, Ibrahimovic could be available for just £11million – although his wage demands probably rule out the notion of this being a genuine bargain.
HARRY KANE
Rumours this morning claim Manchester United are preparing a £50million bid for Harry Kane and it’s no surprise considering the Spurs striker’s meteoric rise this season.
He’s emerged from the peripheries of Tottenham’s squad to bag 31 goals in all competitions, become the Premier League’s top scoring Englishman and net just seconds into his Three Lions debut against Lithuania in March.
Aside from his goals, what stands out most about the 21 year-old is that he’s already a very complete centre-forward; lethal in the air, creative with his back to goal, a decent link-player, tidy in small spaces and a sensationally hard worker.
That’s earned comparisons with Teddy Sheringham, Alan Shearer and Thomas Muller to name a few. If those prophecies prove true, even at £50million Kane would be a very wise long-term investment for the Red Devils, who always make a point of synergising their starting Xi with the national team.
After just one season of emphatic form, however, it’s still a huge risk for the Old Trafford outfit.
Karim Benzema
In my opinion the best option on the market this summer, Karim Benzema represents everything you could want in a Premier League centre-forward – which is exactly why Sir Alex Ferguson tried to bring the former Lyon prodigy to Old Trafford in summer 2009.
He went on to join Real Madrid instead, helping fire Los Blancos to a La Liga title, two Copa del Reys and a Champions League title with 133 goals in 281 appearances and continuing to demonstrate his eclectic mix of power, height, classy footwork and lethal finishing.
That haul might not seem so almighty for a striker of such obvious quality but that’s why the France international could prove to be an incredibly shrewd signing for the Red Devils; after spending the last six seasons in Cristiano Ronaldo’s almighty shadow, the 27 year-old still has a point to prove if he’s to be remembered as one of his generation’s greatest centre-forwards.
Furthermore, the recent appointment of Rafa Benitez has left the 6 foot 2 striker’s Bernabeu future shrouded in doubt, with the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss planning to utilise Ronaldo as his predominant front-man next season.
With three terms remaining on Benzema’s contract however, Real Madrid know they can charge top dollar for a 76-cap international still in his peak years. According to the tabloids, he’s valued at around £40million.