Manchester United’s search for a new striker is hardly a secret. The Red Devils are desperate for quality reinforcements up front following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Manager Erik ten Hag has even publicly stated the need. However, the coach also recently stated that any potential new player would need to fit his system.

“We need good players, not just the numbers,” claimed ten Hag. “We need quality players to cover. And also we need competition and we need to know also that we can make different choices.”

“So we are looking for the right player for our squad, but it has to match our sporting criteria, definitely, but also some financial criteria.”

Man United Jonathan David opportunity: Canadian could fill forward spot

One player that could be heading to Manchester is Jonathan David. The Lille forward has racked up nine goals and four assists in 16 total Ligue 1 appearances so far this season. David’s manager, Paolo Fonseca, has even claimed that it would be hard to hold on to his star beyond 2024.

“It will be difficult to keep Jonathan David at the club next season,” Fonseca recently told La Voix des Sports. “There are not many strikers with his skills and numbers in Europe. He’s just 22. I think top European clubs will try to sign Jonathan David.”

United would almost certainly be interested in signing the Canada international in January. However, transfer expert David Ornstein recently reported that the Premier League side may not sanction a major deal in the coming weeks because United is up for sale.

United could get creative with offer to Lille

One possible move is that the Red Devils could offer an initial loan with an obligation to buy David in the summer. This is a similar maneuver that the team attempted with PSV for Cody Gakpo. The Dutch team ultimately went with Liverpool’s more straightforward financial package.

David has scored 37 goals in 91 total league games since his switch to Lille in the summer of 2020. His versatility could also be a major asset to United as well. The Canadian can play as a traditional number nine as well as out wide or even as a second striker.

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