Manchester United Target Rejects Move: Here’s Where They Go Next

Manchester United have had their fair share of striker issues in the post-Ferguson era. From watching Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Yorke and Rooney win them titles, to now seeing there highest scoring striker only net four goals in a Premier League season is a sore viewing.

Many Red Devils were thinking their luck was going to change this summer, with their club’s vast interest in one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards – Viktor Gyökeres.

But as the Swede has a pool of clubs to choose from, Old Trafford just may not be his destination, leaving Ruben Amorim in the lurch to look for a new talisman for next season.

Gkökeres made his mind up?

Amidst the current summer saga for the signature of Sporting’s star-man Viktor Gyökeres, the Swede has reportedly expressed his own preferred port of call. The man who scored 54 goals in all competitions last season had already made it clear that he was intent on playing Champions League football next season.

(Viktor Gyökeres 2024/25 Stats: FotMob)

Now he has also supposedly told his family and friends that he expects himself to end up with Arsenal this summer. What would be a stellar signing for the Gunners, would also leave Manchester United gasping for a sharp replacement.

Filling up the number nine position has been the the Red Devils main objective in the summer transfer window, as current strikers Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee only managed to tally up seven league goals between them last term. But with the huge blow of Gyökeres, they must continue their pursuit.

Manager Ruben Amorim had previously worked with Gyökeres at Sporting just eight months ago, giving his new club a lot of hope to sign the forward. However, after finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing out on Champions League football through their defeat in the Europa League final back in May, Amorim’s men just do not have a lot going for them heading into the new campaign – making them less and less appealing.

🚨 Rúben Amorim: “Gyokeres deal? I didn’t talk to him. But if a player only wantes to come to Man United to play Champions League, then he won’t come”.

“We want players who want to represent United, not players who want to play certain competitions”, told @sporttvportugal. pic.twitter.com/KxDulThlw4

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 30, 2025

Who Next?

Losing out on a hopeful transfer is just part and parcel of football. Manchester United must pick themselves up and stay on the hunt for a new marksman, which it seems they may already be doing.

Out with one Viktor in with the other. It seems that Ruben Amorim’s outfit have entered the queue to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian is a man who has cropped up in Manchester United speculation previously and would be a suitable fit for the Mancunians, given his emphatic goal record.

Man Utd have reopened talks with Victor Osimhen, who continues to demand a €12m-a-year salary. pic.twitter.com/rcnWOTJzkF

— Transfer News (@TransfersLlVE) June 15, 2025

Osimhen was out on loan with Turkish side Galatasaray for all of last season, scoring 37 goals in 41 games in the famous red and yellow. He did not just need that loan spell to prove he is worthy of finding the net either; the Nigerian bagged 76 goals in the four seasons he has played in Napoli, with even more goals coming from the short stint he had in France with Lille prior.

He is a striker who could produce excellence at Old Trafford. Having played all across Europe, Osimhen is no stranger to a new league and the Premier League just might be his next audition. Furthermore, the talisman is only 26 years of age, meaning he is yet to reach the peak of his game – making now the best time to spend his playing years in the most popular domestic league of them all.

Victor Osimhen is having a ridiculous loan spell at Galatasaray:

🔸 Scored twice to help Gala win the Turkish Cup
🔸 His 35 five goals across all competitions are the most ever by a foreign player in Turkey
🔸 Eight-point lead at the top of the Süper Lig with three games left pic.twitter.com/EwTHL85hHh

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 14, 2025

However, the Nigerian international does not come on the cheap. The frontman has a release clause in his Napoli contract worth around £64 million for clubs outside of Italy, requiring Sir Jim Ratcliffe to dip his hand in his pocket to acquire this signing. Moreover, a similar story to Gyökeres means that Man United are also not the only ones after Osimhen. Napoli’s Italian rivals Juventus have also laid their cards on the table for the striker, as they join the transfer race.

Højlund and Zirkzee’s Future

It is fair to say that Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee were both extremely disappointing in a Manchester United shirt last season. With them each being accountable for countless blunders in front of goal, there are many fans screaming for their exit this summer.

(Manchester United 2024/24 Prem Top Scorers: FotMob)

Despite the Red Devils’ striker position not exactly being a saturated spot, if the club were to bring in a new marquee number nine, it would be worth both forwards considering their options for the new campaign.

Rasmus Højlund has not exactly hit the ground running in Manchester since his astonishing £72 million move from Atalanta two years ago. The 22-year-old has scored just 14 Premier League goals across the two seasons and has struggled to gain the approval of many fans. However, the Dane might soon be on his way out.

Rumours are circulating of a potential transfer back to Italy with Inter Milan for the youngster, for a fee worth around £38 million. Despite his market value almost halving what Man United paid for him, the club would not be wrong to cash in on the forward, before his value potentially drops lower.

Manchester United are not listening to Inter’s loan offer for Rasmus Hojlund.

United want a permanent sale for a fee of €45m, with the sale guaranteed this summer which Inter cannot afford right now.

@CorSport#MUFC pic.twitter.com/3palRZya34

— MUFC Scoop (@MUFCScoop) June 20, 2025

As for Zirkzee, it could be worth the Red Devils holding onto the Dutchman for another year. Despite him only picking up seven goals in all competitions last season, his cost of £36 million is significantly less than Højlund, so it would not be a gamble for the club to keep the 24-year-old. Furthermore, Zirkzee could be a good backup option next season, behind whichever striker the club bring in. Especially when considering Manchester United’s lack of forward options as previously mentioned.