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After Manchester United’s struggles in front of goal last time out, it was inevitable that INEOS would prioritise strengthening the forward line in the summer.
Most expected an out-and-out No 9 to arrive to complement Rasmus Hojlund but in came Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, who described himself as a hybrid between a striker and an attacking midfielder.
With the Dane out injured, the onus has been on the Netherlands international to provide the breakthrough and he duly obliged on his debut against Fulham.
However, his luck seemed to have run out post that game as he struggled in the last two games, with question marks raised about his suitability to Ten Hag’s system.
Striker hunt
Following a goal on international duty, Zirkzee will be returning to Manchester with a point to prove but United might have missed a trick by not adding a different dimension to the attack.
Neither the Dutch star nor Hojlund are goalmouth predators, a profile sorely lacking in the first team at present.
Among the numerous strikers linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer, one of the most prolific names was Jonathan David of Lille.
The Canadian has scored over 25 goals in both of his last two seasons in France and garnered attention from plenty of Europe’s elites with the Ligue 1 outfit open to a cut-price departure due to his contract situation.
He had one year left in his current deal and the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham along with United were in touch with the player’s camp over a summer move.
David to stay at Lille?
A pre-contract agreement in January and a free agent move does sound quite enticing but as per The Athletic (via Sky Sports), the striker has completed a stunning U-turn and is in talks over a possible extension.
“Right now, we’re speaking with (LOSC president) Olivier Letang about a possible extension,” he was quoted as saying. In the past, he had explained how playing in the Premier League was a huge dream of his.
Whether the contract extension means an imminent move is not on the cards remains to be seen. But Lille are sure to now earn a lot more from his sale.
His current market value stands at €50 million as per Transfermarkt. This could be increased further via a release clause in case of a new contract agreement.
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