By Sean McCormick
Manchester United’s transfer priority this summer has been clear from the outset – solve the club’s goalscoring woes.
Ruben Amorim’s side had the fifth worst goalscoring record in the Premier League last season and of those four teams who fared worse, three of them will be playing in the Championship next season.
Put simply, if United want to be back competing at the top end of the Premier League table, they have to score more goals.
So while signing players with proven Premier League goalscoring records may not be a cast-iron guarantee of solving the issue, it is certainly a lower risk than signing forwards who haven’t had previous experience of English football.
In the last two windows, United have signed Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £72million and Joshua Zirkzee for £36million from Bologna. The pair managed just seven league goals between them last season.
Amorim remains wedded to his 3-4-2-1 formation and his two attacking midfielders and his forward have to be the main provider of the team’s goals.
United have already signed Matheus Cunha from Wolves for one of those attacking midfield positions. The decision was made early to activate his £62.5million release clause and it is hoped he will be able to replicate the form that saw him scored 17 goals in all competitions last season.
They are also keen to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo to fill the other attacking midfield slot. While a deal hasn’t been agreed, United are hopeful of concluding a deal for the 25-year-old this summer.
The Cameroon international scored 20 Premier League goals last term, a feat that hasn’t been achieved by any United player in the last 12 years.
While Cunha and Mbeumo should make a huge difference to United’s attacking output, it would be futile not to sign a proven goalscorer to lead the line too.
The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Hugo Ekitike and Victor Osimhen have been linked with moves to United but they would all command huge transfer fees and are not proven at Premier League level.
That’s what made links with Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins all the more interesting on Monday evening, particularly given he played with Mbeumo at Brentford. The Athletic reported that United have enquired about his availability this summer after a frustrating end to last season.
While the England international’s name isn’t as eye-catching as the other options, his proven Premier League goalscoring pedigree would make any move for the 29-year-old desirable.
Watkins scored 17 goals last season, 27 goals the season before that and 16 goals the season before that and that level of consistency should make him a low risk, high reward signing for any Premier League side.
No signings guarantee success but if United can unleash a front three who all boast proven Premier League pedigree then the chances of solving their goalscoring issues will be much higher.
Villa certainly won’t let him leave for a cut-price fee but it may be a price worth paying to fire United back to where the club needs to be – competing for trophies and at the top end of the Premier League table.