Manchester United targeting younger centre forward amid Erling Haaland interest

Manchester United intend to sign a younger striker in the summer amid their reliance on the ageing Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani.

Ronaldo turned 37 last week while Cavani celebrates his 35th birthday on Valentine's Day and the Uruguayan is expected to leave United when his contract expires in June.

United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has recommended the club re-attempt to sign Erling Haaland after he rejected United in favour of Borussia Dortmund in 2019. Manchester City and Real Madrid remain the frontrunners to sign the Norwegian, whose €75million release clause becomes active in the summer.

Cavani replaced Ronaldo at Burnley on Tuesday night in what was United's second of seven games within a 22-day period. Rangnick conceded the club needed to recruit a younger attacker ahead of next season.

"This is obvious," Rangnick said. "Edinson’s contract is running out in the summer and the club needs the best possible centre forward. This is an obvious one. I think everyone is aware of that."

United were poised to sign Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg in December 2019 but tried to cut his adviser Mino Raiola out of the deal and Raiola engineered a €20m move to Dortmund. United claimed they refused to agree to a buyout clause and percentage of future sales.

Haaland, 21, has plundered 80 goals in 79 games for Dortmund and seems destined to leave in the summer. City lack a formidable No.9 and Madrid met Raiola and Haaland's father Alf-Inge last year. Bayern Munich are also interested as Robert Lewandowski approaches the final year of his contract.

United have scored 16 goals in 12 games under Rangnick and only managed to score more than once in three matches. Their profligate finishing was costly in the successive 1-1 draws