Antoine Conte might have just helped Manchester United search to sign a striker

After being reluctant to get drawn into a bidding war, Manchester United have missed out on signing Darwin Nunez this summer. The centre-forward is set to join Liverpool and could have his medical today, which means United's search for a striker continues.

Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, is the only recognised centre-forward at the club and he's very much in the winter of his career. United will surely sign a new striker in the coming months, but they might have to get creative in the market after watching Nunez make the move to Anfield. United will need to identify Nunez alternatives and a player that could perfectly fit that billing is Lautaro Martinez.

Martinez has just enjoyed the most prolific season of his career to date with Inter Milan. The forward scored 24 goals 49 appearances across all competitions in Italy and he's been linked with a return with his former manager Antoine Conte at Tottenham.

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Martinez has scored 24, 19 and 21 goals across his last three seasons for Inter Milan and that makes him one of Europe's most consistent strikers. The 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength during that period and his development seemed to be accelerated by playing under Conte. The Italian won the Scudetto with Inter in 2020/21 before leaving the club.

There's no doubt Conte has played a key role in Martinez's development, as the player explained earlier this season. “What has changed in my game? I’m more comfortable on the field. With last year’s coach, I learned a lot," Martinez told reporters.

"He made me grow in a different way on the game, on the tactics and also physically. For this, I thank him.”

Martinez's