Erik ten Hag already has two perfect Manchester United partners for Darwin Nunez

Manchester City have already won the goalscoring lottery this summer and with the soon-to-be-completed move for Erling Haaland we have been spared another long-winded transfer saga. That will come as either welcome or unwelcome news depending on whether your allegiance is red or blue.

Further signings are, alarmingly, planned at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester United and others play catch up. But while Haaland and whoever else joins him will make City a more formidable target, the excitement building at Old Trafford makes it the place to be.

But will Benfica hot-shot Darwin Nunez come to that assessment? After scoring 34 goals in 41 matches for Benfica last season, the Uruguayan is hot property when it comes to the European market and United are among the sides chasing his big-money signature. A would-be fee around the £80million mark has been mooted.

READ MORE: Manchester United have already been warned against Darwin Nunez swoop

In that sense, Haaland represents a snip at £51million, but that 'bargain' fee is the result of a release clause placed in his contract by Borussia Dortmund that, reportedly, helped them beat United to his services in January 2020. Such a stance has seemingly gone full circle as United prepare to raise the stakes.

City are naturally off the table for Nunez when, had they failed to sign Haaland, he could well have been identified as the man to finally replace Sergio Aguero. However, the Premier League might well be introduced to his talents in a slightly different role.

It seems an age ago that United issued their triple statement of intent under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, recruiting Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and returning five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. Excitement swiftly turned