‘Expected to arrive’: Sky journo drops bombshell transfer update RE Utd’s pursuit of 23-y/o with 31 G/A in 23/24

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·30 November 2024

‘Expected to arrive’: Sky journo drops bombshell transfer update RE Utd’s pursuit of 23-y/o with 31 G/A in 23/24

Despite shelling out just over £100 million on two strikers in the last two summers, an out-and-out centre-forward remains firmly cemented atop Manchester United’s transfer wishlist.

Indeed, club chiefs have conceded that both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, while still young and improving, do not provide enough firepower to deliver up front throughout the course of a campaign.

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That’s why the Reds have already been linked with a host of names to potentially bolster Ruben Amorim’s options in either January or the summer. Should they move for any particular target mid-season, you’d expect it would be on a loan-only basis.

One player who’s emerged as a promising option over the last week is Bayer Leverkusen frontman Victor Boniface, who played an instrumental role in the club’s unprecedented successes last season, during which they were crowned invincible Bundesliga champions and DFB Pokal winners.

Boniface has been pivotal for Xabi Alonso

(Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Boniface, 23, notched an impressive 21 goals in all competitions while also recording 10 assists. He’s hoping to reach similar heights this term, having already scored eight times in his first 15 appearances. However, he is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, with his return date unconfirmed.

Given that Leverkusen are, presumably, highly unwilling to sanction the Nigerian’s exit in January, United will have to wait until the end of 2024/2025 to potentially ignite their pursuit. Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reiterated the Red Devils’ interest in Boniface last night, adding: “A new striker is expected to arrive by the summer at the latest.”

At that time, key decision-makers in the Old Trafford hierarchy may look to part ways with Zirkzee. Laurie Whitwell revealed yesterday that senior figures have privately conceded the summer signing’s tenure has not fared how they’d ‘hoped’, so they are considering cutties ties after only one season to try and recuperate as much of the £36.5m they paid for him as possible.