With the season coming to an end soon, it looks like Manchester United have made up their mind with regards to Radamel Falcao. The Colombian is on a season-long loan at Old Trafford and despite the several chances given to him by Van Gaal, it looks like the striker will move to a new club after having failed to impress those at Manchester United. Along with the Colombian, it seems that Robin Van Persie is slowly coming to an end to his spell with the Red Devils. The architect behind Sir Alex Fergusona s final triumph at Old Trafford, the Dutchman has been sidelined due to injuries and has failed to take charge of his attacking responsibilities. At the age of 31, the former Arsenal striker is definitely not getting any younger, hence leaving Manchester United with a gaping hole in their attack.
So how will Van Gaal manage once he restructures his team that does not revolve around Radamel Falcao and Robin Van Persie leading the teama s attack. Is Wayne Rooney the solution? Here are three other strikers Van Gaal could target in the coming summer transfer period.
Edison Cavani
It is no secret that the Uruguayan international is not happy with his club PSG and is looking to move away from Paris. Having been forced to play second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it seems that Cavani is on the hunt for a new club and could move to the English Premier League at the end of the season.
Cavani will be a good investment for Van Gaal and Manchester United as the 28 year old striker has the imposing presence to take on defenders in the English Premier League. With a sharp nose for sniffing out opportunities, Cavani has the ability to turn half-chances into goals and will be a good fit alongside the likes of Angel Di Maria, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata.
Struggling to comply with the Financial Fair Play regulations, PSG could be forced to part with Cavani who could bring them a substantial return as the striker will not be sold to Manchester United for cheap. Rumoured to have a big budget for the summer transfer window, it will not be surprising to see Manchester United bid heavily on a replacement for Van Persie and Radamel Falcao.
Alexandre Lacazette
Just 23 years old, this French striker is the leading goal-scorer in the French league with 23 league goals in 26 appearances. Alexandre Lacazette is making all the right noises with his performances and is gearing up for a big money away from Lyon this summer as he is attracting interest from various European clubs. Having come up the youth ranks at Lyon, the club star admitted earlier that he might be forced to leave the club if an European giant was to table a huge offer for his services.
“I know a lot of clubs are looking at me. As of now, I cannot say whether I will stay or not, because if a club comes and puts a lot of millions of euros on the table, the president will probably ask me to leave. So I can’t really say what I will do. If the president asks me to leave the club for the good of OL, I will be forced to do it.”
Lacazette will be a strong addition to the squad at Old Trafford as the young striker has the potential to develop into a lethal striker under the watchful eyes of Van Gaal. The chance to team up with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria will only add to the attraction of joining Manchester United along with the attraction of the English Premier League.
Mauro Icardi
The 22 year old Inter Milan striker has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United and Chelsea as reports emerge that talks regarding a contract negotiation has been stalled with Milan. According to reports, the striker is keen to acquire 50% of his image rights but the club is unwilling to play ball due to FFP regulations. If this is indeed the case, the striker could be lured into signing for Manchester United as the Red Devils will be able to match an agreeable contract while giving a boost to the strikers image across the Europe.
Icardi has scored 20 goals in 39 appearances this season and has proved himself to be one of the most promising young strikers available in Europe. Though the striker will not be able to immediately relieve Wayne Rooney and Van Persie of their duties at Old Trafford, he has age on his side and could blossom into a good investment for Red Devils in the long run.