Ten Hag has found perfect Mbappe alternative for Man Utd in cheap plan

Man Utd prepare for Real Betis clash

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This summer, Manchester United plan on signing a new striker. Erik ten Hag is aware his side require a better goalscorer than Wout Weghorst if the glory days are truly to return to Old Trafford. And while Kylian Mbappe has been linked, at a time where Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani is emerging as the favourite to oust the Glazers, Randal Kolo Muani would be a cheaper alternative.

Cheaper. Not cheap.

That’s what Muani would be, with the 24-year-old reportedly on United’s radar as they hunt a new striker for the end of the season.

The Red Devils know they need a prolific goalscorer. Manchester City have Erling Haaland – and the Red Devils are aware they need their own version of the Norway international up top.

With Qatar interested in buying United and ousting the Glazers after 18 controversial years, Mbappe has been linked.

But there is a sense that if the France international was to leave Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid would be his No 1 priority.

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On Wednesday, it emerged that United had interest in Muani. Looking at the stats, it’s clear to see why.

The player has bagged 11 goals and clocked up 10 assists from 23 Bundesliga matches for Eintracht Frankfurt this term.

And he’s also netted five goals in the Champions League and DFB-Pokal, too, enhancing his reputation as one of the best young attackers on the planet.

The talk is that United would have to pay around £106million to land the France international, who recently played for his country at the World Cup in Qatar.

That would make him the Red Devils’ most-expensive signing in their history, gazumping the £89m they paid for Paul Pogba in 2016.

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But it would still be far cheaper than what United would have to fork out in order to land Mbappe.

The PSG star is, per Transfermarkt, valued at around £180m – a fee that even the world’s richest would have to dig deep in order to afford.

PSG may even demand higher than that, too, given they spent £166m on acquiring him from Monaco back in 2017 in the first place.

Until now, United have also been linked with Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen – of Tottenham and Napoli respectively.

And who they end up signing is something only time will tell, with Ten Hag hellbent on bolstering his frontline this summer.

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Regarding Weghorst, meanwhile, ESPN pundit Craig Burley recently slammed the striker – insisting he isn’t good enough for the club.

“I’m not being rude to Wout Weghorst – I mean, I can be if you want,” he said.

“But the boy’s had an opportunity and he’s got in there, and it’s a bit like [Odion] Ighalo when he came on loan from China.

“I bet when he phoned him up he thought it was a prank.

“It’s just one of those things where the Ronaldo situation was horrible – dealt with brilliantly, by the way, by club and manager – and they had to get somebody in.

“He [Ten Hag] knows him, but come on, he’s like a fish out of water in that United side.”

Weghorst is expected to start when United lock horns with Real Betis on Thursday in the Europa League (5.45pm).

The Red Devils are 4-1 up from the first leg after a comprehensive victory at Old Trafford last week.

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