Manchester United have identified a Bournemouth wonderkid as a potential transfer target this summer.
Manchester United could be in the market for a new striker this summer should Joshua Zirkzee leave the club.
Zirkzee joined United from Bologna in the summer of 2024 but has struggled to assert himself in a United shirt, despite showing glimpses of quality.
United spent big money on Benjamin Šeško last summer, while Bryan Mbeumo has also played a lot of football as a striker since Michael Carrick's arrival. Those two factors, plus the absence of European football and the early exits in both cup competitions, mean that Zirkzee's game time has been very limited this campaign.
The Dutchman has only played 512 minutes of Premier League football this season, the equivalent of just 5.6 full 90s. It is therefore also highly unlikely that Ronald Koeman will include him in the Netherlands' World Cup squad this summer.
Zirkzee attracted serious interest from AS Roma in January and could depart Old Trafford this summer. Should that happen, United would need a replacement, especially with the Reds all but certain to return to the Champions League.
United eye move for Kroupi
United have identified Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi as a potential target to strengthen the striker position this summer.
According to Football Insider, United are keeping an eye on Kroupi's situation and believe he could be tempted to make a move away from Bournemouth this summer.
Kroupi is said to be valued at around £50-60 million this summer. Bournemouth signed him from French club Lorient last summer, and he has scored ten goals so far in his debut Premier League season, two of which came against United.
The report claims that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both have a long-standing interest in Kroupi, while United, Liverpool and Arsenal have now also joined the race for the 19-year-old Frenchman.
Should United make a move for Kroupi?
While Kroupi is a very bright talent, he is not the kind of striker United should be signing this summer.
United already have a young striker in Šeško, and there are also some exciting attacking prospects in the academy. It would therefore make more sense to bring in a more experienced centre-forward.
In addition to that, Kroupi would cost a significant amount of money, and United will have much bigger priorities than a new striker this summer.
The club are looking to sign two, maybe even three, new midfielders while a left-winger is also said to be high on the list of priorities.
A new left-back could also be signed, while Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez's injury records mean there is a strong case to be made for signing a new centre-back as well.