Erik ten Hag has ‘serious doubts’ about one element of a Man Utd striker target’s game, and his hesitancy could leave the door ajar for Chelsea to pounce, per reports.
The Red Devils are known to be on the lookout for a high profile striker signing in the summer. Cristiano Ronaldo’s premature exit left Ten Hag with a void up front. Burnley’s Wout Weghorst has filled it after signing on a six-month loan, though the veteran Dutchman is only a short-term fix.
Manchester United will have to ‘sell well’ if they’re to finance a move for a truly top tier target, per the Telegraph’s James Ducker.
To that end, Anthony Martial is part of a £153m trio who have been put up for sale, according to the MEN. Fabrizio Romano later echoed the claims Martial could go.
The Telegraph insisted United’s two primary targets at centre-forward are Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen. However, both players will be incredibly difficult to sign.
Indeed, Tottenham are dead set against selling to a domestic rival in the event they do cash in on Kane. What’s more, they’ll only sell their talisman if he refuses to sign a new contract and if Spurs win a trophy or finish inside the top four, Kane may well extend his stay anyway.
Elsewhere, Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, is adamant Osimhen is not for sale. The Napoli chief revealed his club have no debts and as such, are under no pressure whatsoever to sell their lethal frontman.
Ten Hag doubts one of three ‘fall-back’ options
The Telegraph’s report namechecked three potential ‘fall-back’ options – Tammy Abraham, Benjamin Sesko and Mason Greenwood.
The latter has seen all criminal charges against him dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, though United are conducting their own internal investigation before deciding whether to bring Greenwood back into the mix.
RB Salzburg’s Sesko, meanwhile, is reportedly viewed as more of a long-term project, thus making Abraham the primary back-up choice by default.
The ex-Chelsea hitman, 25, joined Roma for £34m in 2021 and his deal contains a buy-back clause the Blues can activate after two full seasons in Rome. The fee negotiated in the clause is £68m and Abraham is in his second Roma season right now.
United could trump the Blues by simply tabling a higher offer. However, according to Goal, Ten Hag has ‘serious doubts’ about the England frontman.
Citing reports out of Spain, it’s claimed Ten Hag doubts Abraham’s ‘goalscoring ability’. In other words, he’s unsure whether Abraham as a lone centre-forward can return to types of gaudy figures he requires.
Abraham bagged 21 goals in 56 appearances during his two full Premier League campaigns with Chelsea. That equates to roughly a goal every two-and-a-half games.
He’s returned a similar record in the comparatively easier Italian top flight. His Serie A record at present stands at 23 goals in 58 matches.
On the surface, Ten Hag’s apparent concern may well be justified, especially given the type of fee Roma will hold out for. Abraham is under contract until 2026 so manager Jose Mourinho is under no pressure to sell.
Ten Hag’s doubts over Abraham will seemingly reinforce United’s pursuit of either Kane or Osimhen. However, it’ll also leave the door wide open for Chelsea to re-sign Abraham if they so desire.
Despite spending over £500m since Todd Boehly took charge, the Blues still lack a top class centre-forward.
They’ve also been mentioned alongside Osimhen in the event he does leave Naples over the summer.