Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson from Manchester United in 2013 there were some exciting strikers to grace the Old Trafford pitch.
Of course, the likes of Wayne Rooney, Chicharito and Robin van Persie were there after the legendary manager’s reign, but they also bought some enterprising strikers.
Prior to his injury problems, Anthony Martial has been exciting to watch in the Premier League at times and his partner in crime, Marcus Rashford, has shown his qualities in patches. Bruno Fernandes has led from the front in the United shirt since joining in 2020 and has 86 goals and 77 assists for the club.
Arguably one of the most underrated strikers since the glory days under Ferguson was Edinson Cavani.
Cavani’s United record
Cavani moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer after he left the French giant Paris Saint-Germain in a free transfer. United legend Gary Neville explained “was a skeptic when United signed Cavani” but admitted the forward was “absolutely sensational in every way” during his time in Manchester.
Indeed, United fans adored their former number seven, although he did not play much in front of the fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Only him played 59 times for the Red Devils, he scored 19 goals and recorded six assists.
The striker’s performance in the Europa League during his first season at the club was fantastic. He scored six goals and provided two assists in the last four games of the competition as United reached the final, but lost to Villarreal.
He left after the contract expired in 2022. i explained that he has “nothing but words of gratitude to fans and supporters”. It was a short but sweet time at United for Cavani, and he will go down as an iconic club hero.
Interestingly, United have been linked with another Uruguayan striker in recent days, who would have to work hard if he is to win over the United fans like Cavani did so quickly. However, the manager Reuben Amorim he will hope he can become his own version of Cavani.
Man United are targeting the Uruguayan forward
The player in question here is, rather surprisingly, a Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez. According to reports from SpainThe Red Devils ‘appear as the main candidate to secure the services of the Uruguayan striker’. The fee is currently unconfirmed, but Liverpool will likely want to recoup most of it They spent £85 million on him in 2022 from Benfica.
Nunez has always been hailed as a player who will go on to do great things, described as a player with “world-class potential” by football talent hunter Jacek Kulig. His numbers at Benfica were impressive, with 48 goals and 16 assists in 85 games for the Portuguese giant.
He was not so powerful at Liverpool. In his third season with the club, the 25-year-old scored 39 goals and provided 21 assists. in 123 gamesalthough in the 2024/25 season scored only six goals and four assists.
His best season for the Reds came in the 2023/24 season, in which he scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists. in 54 games. His Sofascore statistics from that season were impressive, where he managed to put in 3 shots per game and create 11 big chances.
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Statistics of Nunez in season 2023/24 PL |
|
|---|---|
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Stat |
Number |
|
It starts |
22 |
|
Goals and assists |
19 |
|
Shots per game |
3 |
|
Shots on goal per game |
1.3 |
|
Great chances were created |
11 |
|
% of dribbling success per game |
43% |
|
Duels won per match |
2.4 |
|
Statistics from Sofascore |
|
United signing Nunez would be a shock and perhaps not the most popular move right off the bat. However, it is similar to the Cavani deal, with Neville suggesting people were not convinced, albeit for different reasons.
The former United striker has proved to be a huge success over time, and while the potentially expensive signing from rivals Liverpool may take longer to win over the Old Trafford faithful, it is possible.
If United get this job over the line, Amorim will be desperate for Nunez to become his very own Cavani and help him move to the next level.
