The latest on Manchester United's search for a striker in the summer transfer window plus their stance on signing Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins before deadline day.
00:00Manchester United's search for a striker is ongoing in the summer transfer window as head coach Ruben Amarim hopes to add a new goal scorer to his side in the final full month of the window.
00:11United, of course, have until Monday 1st September to add any further additions to their squad.
00:19United have already completed the signings of Matthias Cugno, Diego Leon and Brian Mbwemo ahead of their US pre-season tour.
00:29And United still want to add a striker. But as you all know by now, that relies on player departures to fund the move.
00:36Marcus Rashford completed his move to Barcelona in midweek. A season-long loan with the option to make it permanent for €30m next summer.
00:48United will save roughly £12m in wages over the course of the upcoming campaign from Rashford's loan exit.
00:55But that is money that they'll save over the course of the year. It's not money that is now free to be spent on a striker.
01:05It means United still need to sell the likes of Alejandro Garnaccio, Jason Sancho, Anthony, Tyrell Molassia and potentially Altai Bayinder as well if they are to sign a striker.
01:17And on that front, United's budget at the moment is almost non-existent.
01:21They paid for Mbwemo and Cunha from the original transfer budget.
01:25But now if they want to sign a striker, they will be funded by how much money United managed to raise from player sales, exits and selling clauses this summer.
01:32It means, no surprise, United are not in the market for Alexander Izak after he revealed he wanted to leave Newcastle this summer.
01:41He's just completely out of the question when it comes to financing a deal.
01:45And you'd also have to question why he would want to leave, I know, historically, Newcastle to join United when they've not got Champions League football.
01:53So, Izak to Liverpool or to Saudi Arabia looks a lot more likely.
01:57Similarly, United are not currently in the market for Benjamin Sesko or Nicholas Jackson just because the finances involved in both deals is unrealistic with what United imagine they will have to play with come the end of the window.
02:11Like we said, United could easily start a new season without a new striker on board.
02:16So, keep your eyes peeled on this one.
02:18It's meant, it's supposed to, sorry, drag on and we expect it to maybe not be resolved until final week or so of the summer window.
02:26So, Aston Villa star, Oli Watkins, is a genuine target.
02:29United have inquired about him.
02:31Villa are adamant he is not for sale.
02:33But they are going to say that, of course.
02:35They don't want to sell Watkins.
02:37But I think if United made a serious attempt to buy him, I would not be surprised if there was leverage there to do a deal.
02:44So, Oli Watkins, I would say, is probably the most high-profile option who's still attainable for United this summer.
02:52If not, it could get desperate as we enter the final few weeks of the window.
02:58Callum Wilson poised to join West Ham.
03:00Other free agents, maybe someone like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, could become a possibility just to add some Premier League experience and an extra body to the United side.
03:09But right now, there is nothing imminent on the striker front.
03:12And Ruben Amarim wants to sign a striker, a backup goalkeeper and a defensive midfielder, if he can, in the final month of the window.
03:18But with those deals all set to hinge on player departures, it seems very unlikely they will address all three.
03:24United's search for a striker continues.
03:26It won't be Alexander Izak.
03:28It probably won't be Nicholas Jackson or Benjamin Sesko either.
03:31Oli Watkins, the one option who is still on the table, albeit a very unlikely one at this moment in time.
