Forget Gyokeres & Ekitike: Man Utd should now sign 17-goal PL striker available for £40m - opinion

Manchester United should pursue a deal for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer.

The Red Devils are in the transfer market for a centre-forward after an underwhelming Premier League season.

The club scored only 44 times from 38 games. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee underperformed with just seven league goals.

United need a big upgrade on the duo. Viktor Gyokeres has been heavily linked with the club, but a transfer seems unlikely.

The Sporting CP star has made it clear that he would prefer to join Arsenal instead.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has emerged as an alternative, but the Frenchman is still inexperienced at the highest level.

He managed 22 goals and 12 assists last season, but he could face the pressure of expectations if he were to move to United.

United are also highly unlikely to meet the £85m asking price set by the Bundesliga giants.

With this in mind, the Red Devils should focus on recruiting a striker with Premier League experience.

In our view, Palace’s Mateta would be a perfect acquisition. He registered 17 goals and four assists for the London outfit last season.

His strengths would suit manager Ruben Amorim’s playing style.

The Frenchman has a strong physical presence upfront and won almost two aerial duels per league outing last term.

The former Mainz man has also excelled with his high pressing and can score with either foot.

Mateta has managed 27 league goals since Oliver Glasner took charge as Palace’s head coach in March last year.

In this period, only Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland have scored more league goals than him.

In our view, Mateta’s progress under Glasner has gone under the radar, and he could excel with a move to Old Trafford.

Mateta’s contract at Palace expires in June 2027, and he could be purchased for a package of around £40 million.

It appears a no-brainer decision to sign him over recruiting another young foreign striker, who may need time to adapt.

Mateta will turn 28 later this month, but he would represent a good signing for United with a view to immediate success.

He is well-versed in playing upfront in a 3-4-2-1 formation under Glasner and could seamlessly fit into Amorim’s set-up.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .