Erik ten Hag is about to watch possible Man United transfer wildcard nobody is talking about

Manchester United's top transfer priority is clear: they must sign a striker for Erik ten Hag this summer.

The Reds' season has been hamstrung by the absence of a No.9 this term. Anthony Martial's fitness problems have persisted whilst Wout Weghorst has been a useful stop-gap but is not of the desired quality to lead the line for United beyond this campaign.

The gaping hole in Ten Hag's squad is evident and clear for all to see. That also makes recruiting a solution trickier, with rivals aware of United's needs in the market.

READ MORE: Manchester United might be about to show Tottenham their biggest regret

Any possible No.9 signing will not come cheap. Those known as United targets will be in high demand and their current clubs will not be willing sellers.

Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane will not be easy to extract from Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively. Serie A's leading marksman has a wide list of suitors and Napoli are reluctant to cash in on their prized asset.

Everyone knows the score with Daniel Levy. United fans have not forgotten the difficulties they experienced when recruiting Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov under Sir Alex Ferguson. A deal for Kane brings complications, as Manchester City discovered two summers ago.

So should those deals not seem possible, where else could United look? Well, one potential solution could be on their way to Old Trafford already, but he'll be setting up camp in the opposition dressing room.

Ollie Watkins' form under Unai Emery has not gone unnoticed. The England international has notched 14 goals in 23 matches since the Spaniard took the reins at Villa Park, including 11 in his last 14 outings.

Undoubtedly, Danny Ings' mid-season move to West Ham United has been the