Erik ten Hag may need new striker transfer fall-back option for Manchester United

Lautaro Martinez is no Harry Kane, let’s get that clear. The 25-year-old found the net three times at the World Cup but failed to end the tournament with a goal with all of them chalked off.

It was a frustrating tournament for him to say the least. Lionel Messi may have branded Wout Weghorst ‘il burro’ in Qatar but it was Martinez who was initially goaded as the donkey who could not score.

He silenced those jeers at the end of the quarter-final against the Netherlands by firing in the decisive spot kick in the penalty shoot-out, and has continued to answer his critics for Inter Milan ever since.

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Martinez has fired in 17 of his 25 goals this season after Christmas, including in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg win over rivals Milan. He’s a formidable figure but the jury is still out about whether he is truly world-class.

That is the barometer Erik ten Hag has set in his hunt for a new striker and midfielder this summer. Casemiro aside, last year was about plucking rising gems, but this time around the focus is on bringing in the finished product.

Kane is United’s top target with Victor Osimhen also making the list. Both are undeniably world-class and are consequently wanted by many top European outfits this summer. Goncalo Ramos also makes Ten Hag’s potential target list.

The 21-year-old has scored 26 goals for Benfica this season, not counting the hat-trick he got for Portugal against Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals in December. World class maybe not, but he is climbing towards that.

Meanwhile, Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani are also on United’s radar. The former has