Erik ten Hag's indignant smack of his thighs during the first half of Thursday night's game against Brighton was a pivotal moment.
He seemed to be responding to Anthony Martial not applying pressure to the adversary. Ironically, many fans have experienced exasperation after Martial's time at Old Trafford. The Dutchman sat down with his staff and appeared frustrated.
Since he returned from injury, Martial's contribution in front of goal has not been tremendous. He was unable to score against Brighton. Only one goal has been scored by the forward, and it was an easy tap-in from six yards out against Everton.
Although his strongest detractors would say that he has failed to produce completely throughout his tenure at the club, Martial hasn't scored goals in the last several weeks despite his link-up play, which can make him an appealing choice. Strikers are there to score goals.
Some people think Martial is a mysterious figure, but the reality is much more obvious than that. He clearly possesses a wealth of natural talent, but his career has been marred by injury issues, and he hasn't lived up to his potential.
Although Ten Hag has lauded Martial's talent and it is thought that he wants to keep him at the club, the fact that he has spent more time over the past few years injured than on the field suggests that he cannot be counted on, not even as a backup.
Wout Weghorst was signed on loan by the club in the January transfer window as a stop-gap replacement for Anthony Martial, who was out for the majority of the season due to injury. However, it's obvious he's not a long-term solution given his poor goal scoring record.
Only two goals—both rebounds—have been scored by Weghorst for United. During his lone prior Premier League appearance for Burnley, he netted twice, which likely properly reflects his skill level.
Weghorst lacks the skills to play as a striker for the team, so it's not unexpected that United won't try to recruit him on a permanent basis. His primary duty of scoring goals is not diminished by his enthusiastic and devoted performances.
On May 28, against Fulham, at Old Trafford, he will get his final opportunity to play for United. Soon after that, the summer transfer window will start, and a top-tier striker is urgently required.
Harry Kane would be a wonderful fit for United because, aside from Erling Haaland, he is the Premier League player who is the closest to a goal-guarantee. Ten Hag is rumored to be "obsessed" with the idea of signing Kane.
Another exciting possibility is Kane playing with Antony and Marcus Rashford. Kane and Son Heung-min have forged a deadly partnership, and there is no reason why he can't do the same at Old Trafford.
Though he is rumored to be worth more than £100 million, there are worse investments given the number of years he still has to play at the highest level. Just consider the £75 million paid for Romelu Lukaku or the £89 million paid for Paul Pogba.
The issue is that Kane's entry may not be sufficient in the attacking department. Since Weghorst won't be signed to a permanent contract and Martial is almost certain to get hurt, the only other natural strikers at the club are those in the academy.
Marcus Rashford can play down the middle, of course, but his left side is where he excels, and his finishing is frequently less than precise. This suggests that in addition to adding a first-choice attacker in that position, United may also need to recruit a backup center-forward.
In order to get such a player, United may need to be inventive in the market. It is known that they have been keeping an eye on Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta and Randal Kolo Muani of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Harry Kane will almost certainly score more than 20 goals in a season, but it appears another player will be needed up front. The upcoming few months for Ten Hag and John Murtough, the director of football, will be interesting.
However, Despite continued interest from Manchester United, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis reiterated that the defending Serie A champions will not offload star striker Victor Osimhen this summer.
The 24-year-old Nigerian international is a clear target for the Reds as they look to add more attacking options during the summer transfer window. Although Harry Kane is the management's primary target, it is believed that manager Erik ten Hag prioritized the recruitment of a fresh goal scorer and that Osimhen has been on their radar since November.
By scoring 22 goals in 27 league games, Osimhen, who is also drawing interest from clubs like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, helped Napoli win the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years this season. He has made 34 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 27 goals overall.
He has made a name for himself as one of the most in-demand attackers in Europe, and a number of teams, including United, have been keeping an eye on him in the lead-up to this summer. De Laurentiis, the manager of Napoli, put an end to any aspirations United and other suitors may have had of signing him after the Italian team won the title on Thursday night.
In an interview with Rai Sport in Italy, De Laurentiis stated: "I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer - no way."
With an incredible total of 27 goals this year, Osimhen has been the crown jewel for Napoli. He signed on with the reigning Serie A champions in July 2020, and in 96 games since then, he has scored 55 goals.
Osimhen refused to comment on his future after Napoli's Serie A championship-clinching 1-1 tie with Udinese on Thursday night, stating that the time wasn't appropriate.
"I'm thrilled with this victory," Osimhen told Sky. "I'm happy for me, for the team and for the fans. I can't wait to come back in Naples to embrace our fans, even though tonight I already felt the warmth of the people."
"I'm happy for all the Neapolitans. I scored the Scudetto goal, it's true, but anyone else could have scored it. I feel like a leader and I never give up. Future? Now I want to enjoy this historic moment, this is not the time to think about my future."
"[Luciano] Spalletti is a great coach, he asks us a lot but he is like a father to all of us. He always manages to motivate us and he deserves this title."
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