Manchester United ignored Ruben Amorim when identifying the club's next summer transfer target after Bryan Mbeumo, according to reports. The Red Devils are expected to prioritise a new striker once they finally seal a deal with Brentford for Mbeumo - if Tottenham Hotspur aren't successful in their Thomas Frank-fuelled hijack.
INEOS and Amorim had identified Ipswich Town's Liam Delap as their top target before he snubbed an Old Trafford switch and joined Chelsea for £30million. A reunion with Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres was reportedly next on the United head coach's wish list, but the Swede is said to have joined Delap in rejecting the interest.
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According to GIVEMESPORT, United have held initial talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over the potential signing of Hugo Ekitike.
However, it's claimed that club figures are weighing up whether to advance their interest amid concerns about Frankfurt's hefty financial demands.
The Bundesliga reportedly value Ekitike in the region of £85m, which would represent a serious risk of the 22-year-old becoming United's latest expensive mistake.
Amorim is attempting to replace a prime example in Rasmus Hojlund, who has struggled to make progress since his £72m arrival from Atalanta in 2023.
The report adds that, with Hojlund's ineffectiveness in mind, Amorim had been determined to recruit a proven goalscorer capable of making an instant impact.
But Old Trafford decision brokers are said to have ignored the Portuguese tactician's demands by entering talks for Ekitike despite the France Under-21 international not matching their initial target profile.
He is coming off the back of a career-best season, plundering 22 goals and adding a further 12 assists in 48 appearances for Frankfurt.
Ekitike endured a horror previous campaign, managing just four goals and two assists in 17 games, having been exiled at Paris Saint-Germain before sealing a switch to Germany in January 2024.
And the former Reims striker notched up just four in 32 games in the season prior, so his track record doesn't match that of Gyokeres or wantaway Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
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GIVEMESPORT claim that, despite entering talks over his signature, United chiefs share reservations about whether Ekitike represents good value for money.
The Red Devils have identified Gyokeres and Osimhen as options who do match Amorim's desire for a proven goalscorer and remain on the shortlist.
Regardless of United's top striker target, they will have to offload players before sanctioning any further signings after a potential Mbeumo deal.
Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony are among the players in the shop window.