The transfer merry-go-round is in full swing and with July approaching thick and fast, clubs across Europe will now start activating the green light on their transfer plans in order to beat the deadline.
One player that looks set to leave Old Trafford this summer is Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian all-time record goalscorer recently changed his agent in order to fulfil his move to Italy this summer, but the Red Devils are going to hold out and aim to recoup the £75 million they spent on him in 2017 from Everton.
Manchester United had high hopes that Lukaku would become the mainstay centre forward that they needed in years to come, regularly finding the back of the net and developing his own game in becoming a world-class striker.
For one reason or another, and sometimes the criticism of himself is too excessive, Lukaku has not been able to do that. For £75 million, fans of the club, as well as the people behind the scenes, have expected a larger output than what he has, so far, delivered.
That is not to say Lukaku is a poor centre forward, because he is not, but the system of Manchester United – especially under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – do not play to his strengths, and demand things from the striker that he simply cannot provide.
And so there are questions regarding his replacement, if there is to be one. With so many other positions to recruit in for this summer, it might not be a surprise to see United start the new season having not actually replaced Lukaku.
SEVILLE, SPAIN - MAY 18: Wissam Ben Yedder of Sevilla FC celebrates after scoring during the La Liga ... [+]
However, if they are in the market for a new striker that can supplement both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, then Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder should be high on the priority list.
The France international had a superb season last time out, contributing to 41 goals in 54 appearances in all competitions. Not only is he a clever finisher, but he supports the players around him and brings others into the game – a trait the Norwegian boss at Old Trafford expects and wants.
It is said that Ben Yedder’s buyout clause is circa £35 million, which in today’s market that is enveloped with inflation, is a fair price for a striker that guarantees goals. Manchester United fans do not have to think back far to when the Frenchman turned at Old Trafford and scored two goals to knock them out of the Europa League under Jose Mourinho in 2018.
VALLADOLID, SPAIN - APRIL 7: Wissam Ben Yedder of Sevilla FC celebrates a cancelled goal during the ... [+]
There could be questions marks over his age, and with turning 29 before the start of the season is something to consider, but Man United also need to balance out youth with experience that can deliver now on a consistent basis.
Looking back through Ben Yedder’s last three seasons and there is clear evidence that he has a knack of being a reliable centre forward that does his job well. With Rashford not yet hitting those levels, it will be important for United – if they do intend on selling Lukaku – to have another player providing the team with goals.
Mason Greenwood is another youth player from the academy that is set to be a star, but his time to shine is still a number of years away. With an experienced professional in Ben Yedder, Manchester United would have an array of talent that can cause damage to any team in the country.
Time will tell whether the Red Devils pull the trigger on this deal, but with Lukaku set to move to Italy this summer, they simply have to bring in another attacking forward to offset the loss.
