The sought-after Red Devils have been linked with a summer transfer for a Brazilian striker.
Rasmus Hojlund appears to not be the only striker headed to Manchester United this summer, as the Red Devils are also interested in Santos prodigy Marcos Leonardo as well.
The 20-year-old Brazilian is reportedly up for grabs for as little as €15 million (£13 million) this summer, with the Old Trafford team reportedly in the running for his signature.
While the article does say that the 5′ 9″ athlete is eager to work with former United manager Jose Mourinho at AS Roma, additional sources show that negotiations have stopped with the club.
Even while 90min did announce earlier this summer that it wasn’t out of the question that two new strikers may be on their way to the Theatre of Dreams, the Premier League giants have already agreed to a £72 million agreement with Atalanta for the transfer of Hojlund.
Anthony Martial is currently Ten Hag’s only senior option through the middle, which is a terrifying thought given the Frenchman’s dismal injury record, as he missed 27 games last season. Wout Weghorst, who had just two goals in all competitions for United last season, is no longer at the club.
Last season, the former Ajax manager frequently recommended that the group play their “best football” when the 27-year-old is on the field, but it didn’t work out that way.
It was frequently stated by the former Ajax manager that the squad plays their “best football” when the 27-year-old is on the field, but it is difficult to overlook the reality that he has only managed to score 11 league goals in English football since the start of the 2020–21 season.
As a result, Ten Hag’s decision to sign both Hojlund and Leonardo this summer may be the tipping point for Martial’s tenure at the club. Prior to the transfer window, sources stated that the Red Devils are open to offers for the former Monaco player.
Although still rather raw, young Leonardo has recently been far more impressive, scoring 14 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions so far this season, compared to the current United player’s nine goals in 29 games in 2022/23.
Jacek Kulig, a talent scout, says the Brazil U20 international has “all the tools to become an absolute killer in the penalty area” despite the fact that he is still relatively young and has already scored 47 goals in 149 appearances for his current team at the senior level.
Kulig has also praised the Santos phenomenon as being “born to score,” and with six goals in just 12 league games this season, it is easy to understand why there is currently so much interest in his services.
After eight years in Manchester, Martial has unquestionably had more than enough time and opportunities to make an impression. The addition of Hojlund and Leonardo, two young and ambitious players, should put an end to Martial’s tenure there.