Aheed Abrar
Manchester United are looking at Cody Gakpo and Sasa Kalajdzic after dropping interest in Marko Arnautovic
According to The Times (Subscription Required)[h/t Express], Cody Gakpo and Sasa Kalajdzic are the two alternatives being lined up by Manchester United after dropping interest in Marko Arnautovic this summer.
The Red Devils dropped their interest in the Austrian after receiving backlash from fans. Now, the club needs to pursue other alternatives to bolster Erik ten Hag’s attack. And United have turned their attention to the Eredivisie and Bundesliga.
Gakpo is one of the hottest prospects in the Netherlands. PSV Eindhoven would supposedly be willing to let the 23-year-old go for £29.6 million. Kalajdzic, on the other hand, is a tall and robust number nine. VfB Stuttgart value the Austrian at around £20 million.
United’s attacking woes have been evident for everyone to see since last season. Cristiano Ronaldo was the only attacker that did his job. The Portuguese finished the 2021/22 campaign as the Red Devils’ top goalscorer.
United need competition for places
For Marcus Rashford, the previous season was one of his worst in a red shirt. The England international has looked short of confidence. The 24-year-old struggled to get into the side.
Jadon Sancho arrived from Borussia Dortmund to much fanfare. After lighting up the Signal Iduna Park, the England international made his way to the Theatre of Dreams. But the 22-year-old hasn’t been able to settle in the United team.
The new campaign promised renewed hope for players and fans alike. The arrival of Erik ten Hag was a highly anticipated one. Initially, the Red Devils looked up for it and considerable excitement followed our pre-season results.
But United have gotten off to a nightmare start in the Premier League. We lost 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion in our first game. With the uncertainty around Ronaldo’s future and Anthony Martial’s injury, Ten Hag decided to start Christian Eriksen in the centre-forward position.
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- Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag dissatisfied with the inactivity regarding Ajax forward Antony deal
- Simon Jordan has urged Manchester United to sign Tammy Abraham this summer
The Red Devils need attacking reinforcements this summer. If Gakpo and Kalajdzic are signed, it’ll be good for squad depth and will lead to competition for places in United’s XI.
