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Manchester United have perfect opportunity to scout new striker this weekend

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date12 August 2022
Publication titleManchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England)
Having wisely walked away from a move from Marko Arnautovic, a transfer United should frankly never have even considered, they are now being linked with Austrian target man Sasa Kalajdzic — who could leave Stuttgart this summer

At 33 and with a chequered past, Arnautovic would have been a bizarre signing, but as with most of United's targets this summer he was a player familiar to Ten Hag. He would have offered experience and a physical presence in the attack, coming in at 6ft 4ins.

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His countryman Kalajdzic is eight years younger and three inches taller. A record of 23 goals in 55 games in the Bundesliga is certainly reasonable enough and he could be available for around £20million.

He fits a trend with United's search for a central attacker this summer, with 19-year-old Benjamin Sesko the first on the radar in this window before he opted to swap Salzburg for sister club RB Leipzig. He is also 6ft 4ins and, having cost RB Leipzig £55million, would have been considerably more expensive than the options recently looked at.

It's maybe no surprise Ten Hag is keen to add stature to his attack, having had success last season at Ajax with Sebastian Haller leading the line. If Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the club, this will simply be another option in attack, but it's clear United need greater competition in that position.

John Murtough still won't know quite how far his budget will stretch this summer. So far United have sold just one player and a significant chunk of the pot is earmarked for Frenkie de Jong. The success or failure of that move will dictate what else United can do in the final weeks of the window, given an initial fee of £63million has been agreed with Barcelona.

But if a striker with an aerial threat capable of imposing himself on opposition central defenders is something United are keen on under Ten Hag, they should keep a close eye on Ivan Toney when they take on Brentford in west London this weekend.

Toney isn't as tall as the other forwards United have looked at this summer, but he is strong and the goal he...

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