Top five Harry Kane alternatives Manchester United should target

Once considered the dream signing for the United now looks to move elsewhere in Europe.

Harry Kane is believed to be the number one target for Manchester United for over two summer transfer windows. Manchester United have made the signing of a center-forward the club’s focus for the summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to bring in a proven source of goals. Man United showed progress during Ten Hag’s debut season in charge but were reliant on Marcus Rashford and Wout Weghorst (on loan) in the final third and are keen to bring in a recognized number nine to compliment the forward.

Tottenham’s reluctance to do business with a Premier League rival and interest from Europe’s elite clubs most prominently, Bayern Munich. The Bavarians saw one €70m bid turned down and they are considering coming back with a better offer which means hopes of Red Devil’s landing Kane looks all but over. We look at five strikers who could be Harry Kane alternatives for Manchester United.

5. Rasmus Hojlund – Atalanta (Goals: 09, Assists: 02)

United have been linked with a move for the Denmark international, who has in fact been dubbed the next Erling Haaland. While the duo's attacking approach differs, the comparisons are not without reason. Hojlund is a powerful runner who knows how to hit the back of the net and having missed out on Haaland, United won't want to make the same mistake twice and lose out on the Dane. Hojland’s inexperience makes him an option with an element of risk for Manchester United, but he could prove a bargain if he continues to develop and maximizes his potential.

Hojland has scored 10 goals in all competitions and has earned comparisons with Erling Haaland, given his Scandinavian roots, tall frame, pace and lethal left foot. The Dane has not quite replicated the prolific goal return of an early Haaland, but the similarities are obvious when watching the forward race in behind defenses. The young Dane joined from Sturm Graz for a reported €17m last summer and once Atalanta elects to sell, they stand to make a hefty profit on the 20-year-old.

Hojland hit the headlines during March’s international break after scoring a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Finland on his first start for Denmark, before netting a brace in the following fixture against Kazakhstan. He followed those goals with another against Slovenia this week to take his total to six in six appearances at the international level.

4. Goncalo Ramos - Benfica (Goals: 19, Assists: 02)

Here is one player who took the world by storm in a team featuring Ronaldo, the Portuguese announced his arrival on the world stage during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as the forward marked his first start for Portugal with a hat-trick in their 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland in the last 16. The services of Goncalo Ramos have reportedly been touted to Premier League clubs as the agent of the Benfica forward looks to secure his client a major move. Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle have all been linked with Ramos, who is the latest hot property to have emerged from Benfica’s ranks.

The 22-year-old scored 27 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 appearances for Benfica last season, having replaced the departed Darwin Nunez in the side. Ramos became the youngest player since Eusébio in the 1962/1963 campaign to score 25+ goals in a campaign for Benfica last season, as Roger Schmidt’s side won the Primeira Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals.

He has been valued at around £80m. Obviously, in 2023 any player contributing to 20+ goal contribution will have a price tag that big, and United are aware of this situation but again it is in their own hands and scouts will need to be top of their reports to know if he can prove his worth in Premier League.  

3. Lautaro Martinez - Inter Milan (Goals: 21, Assists: 06)

Here is a signing that will be one to remember if United pull this through but it will probably cost them €90m plus. Keeping up with fast-paced Serie A, Lautaro Martinez took his total to 21 league goals for the season on Wednesday night as he netted twice in Inter's resounding 6-0 win at Verona. It can be argued that Martinez had a poor World Cup but got a medal to show for it, however, his goal return this season shows; there's a very good reason why United have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old.

Of course, Erik ten Hag likes his forwards to work hard off the ball, too, for the good of the team, which was part of the reason behind the interest in Weghorst. Martinez carries out these duties well, too, having won possession in the attacking third 24 times, the fourth-best return in Serie A at the time of writing.

Inter are a team that do largely need to make a big sale each summer in order to help balance the books, which means in theory, any number of first-team stars are up for grabs. As said earlier, It'll take a hefty bid to convince the Nerazzurri to sell one of their prized assets, but Martinez would be a superb summer arrival for United if they could get a deal done for the World Cup winner.

2. Randal Kolo Muani - Eintracht Frankfurt (Goals: 15, Assists: 11)

The French international has been one of the breakthrough stars of the season after an excellent debut campaign at Eintracht Frankfurt. A free transfer arrival from Nantes last summer, the forward has since exploded in the Bundesliga to become a France international and one of Europe’s most coveted center-forwards. Kolo Muani scored 15 goals and laid on 11 assists in 32 league appearances for Frankfurt last season and ended the campaign with 23 goals in all competitions.

Muani is one of six players to register double figures for both goals (15) and assists (11) in Europe's top five leagues this season, and, like Martinez, is a hard worker off the ball having won possession in the attacking third 29 times in Germany's top tier this term, that the third most in the Bundesliga. A versatile hard-working forward that would benefit those in support, Muani could be a perfect fit for United.

Named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season and as the division’s best newcomer, he has earned nine caps for France since his debut last year and scored his first international goal during Les Bleus’ World Cup semi-final win over Morocco in Qatar. Full of drive and dynamism in the final third, he has excelled on the counter-attack with space to run into this season. Frankfurt can expect to make a mammoth profit if the French forward is allowed to depart this summer.

1. Victor Osimhen – SSC Napoli (Goals: 26, Assists: 04)

Here is another player from Serie A, statistically the best forward in the Italian league. Victor Osimhen is perhaps the most in-demand center-forward in Europe this summer after a superb season at Napoli. Osimhen ended the season as the league’s leading scorer to win the Capocannoniere award, as Napoli secured its first Serie A title in 33 years under Luciano Spalletti.

Osimhen scored 31 goals in all competitions to establish himself as one of the best number nines on the continent, a return which has placed him high on the wish list of almost every top club including Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

He has exactly what United needs to match the fast-flowing football with Fernandes making final third passes and Casemiro launching the through balls over the defense. The Nigeria international combines formidable athleticism with a ruthless touch around the goal and has scored 50 league goals in 86 games across three seasons in Naples.

Napoli are reluctant to lose the forward and have agreed on a two-year contract extension with Osimhen, but club president Aurelio de Laurentiis has admitted that the 24-year-old could leave if an offer arrives that could not be refused ‘for the good of Napoli’. Expect any offer to exceed £100m and It'll likely take a monster offer from United to convince Napoli to sell the Nigeria international.