It has become easy to understand why Manchester United identified Liam Delap as their top striker target for this summer's transfer window, hasn't it?
Ahead of the transfer window reopening for business on Monday following a brief pause in proceedings, it already feels as though United's pursuit of a goal-getter has gone on for months. In reality, the window has only officially been open for ten days.
Nevertheless, United's pursuit of a No.9 already feels as though it has taken countless twists and turns, despite the club not yet lodging an official bid for a striker as yet.
After missing out on Delap to Chelsea, who signed him from Ipswich Town via a £30million release clause, United are being forced to look elsewhere. The England Under-21 international had scored a respectable 12 goals in his first full season in the Premier League and signing him would have been a relatively straightforward task.
Instead, United's search for a goal-getter does not currently offer an obvious answer. They are being linked with a cluster of strikers, but they are yet to table a bid for any of them.
Having signed Matheus Cunha for £62.5m and being keen on signing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for potentially a similar fee, funds raised from player sales will be key to United's hopes of signing the striker they so desperately crave.
United have finished each of the last two Premier League campaigns with a negative goal difference and failing to sign a striker this summer is a non-negotiable. But as they are quickly finding out, goalscorers are not easy to obtain.
Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen of Napoli are two of the most sought after strikers in Europe right now and both are expected to be on the move this summer.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
