By Jack Flintham

Copyright manchestereveningnews

Manchester United looked to have resolved their attack issues in the summer transfer window when Ruben Amorim focused in on the forward line for major improvements. While Rasmus Hojlund , Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all departed, it was understood that United wanted to keep hold of Joshua Zirkzee . The explanation for this was solid. Zirkzee had performed better and better as the 2024/25 season went on. From an undignified early exit against Newcastle over Christmas to one of the Reds’ more dependable forwards by the end of that campaign, it was a remarkable turnaround for the Dutchman. The hope was that Zirkzee would kick on in his second season for the club. Maybe he would be utilised deeper in the No.10 roles or he would be a consistent alternative to Benjamin Sesko when needed. Instead, he has been overlooked and amassed just 74 minutes in the Premier League. The Daily Mail understands that this has contributed to Zirkzee “wanting out” of the Old Trafford club in January as he aims to gain plenty of minutes ahead of the World Cup. Should Zirkzee leave, though, he will need to be replaced. With that in mind, MEN Sport has taken a look at three options United could consider to replace the Netherlands international; Possibly the most likely option of the three would be to try and convince Jean-Philippe Mateta to join the cause at United. The Crystal Palace striker has been a revelation in the English top-flight and bagged 14 Premier League goals last term. He would be a physical and imposing presence at the top end of the pitch, too, clearly fitting the bill of Amorim’s desired striker. Mateta has just a year remaining on his contract with Palace at the culmination of this campaign so the fee would potentially be reasonable, too. Mateta is valued at £26m by Transfermarkt which would be exactly the figure that United would wish to spend on a centre-forward. But, in his late 20s, will he be seen as “too old” for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s project? Alternatively, United could look to bring in a player from a club who want Zirkzee – incidentally. Juventus are said to rate the Dutchman highly off the back of his time at Bologna and would be interested in signing him in January, according to The Daily Mail. If this were to be the case, then Ineos would be forgiven for bringing up the prospect of signing Dusan Vlahovic in return. The Serbia international seems destined to leave Turin after contract negotiations stalled. It’s believed that Juve were looking for the 25-year-old to sign a new deal on reduced terms, but it was rejected. With his contract expiring in 2026, Vlahovic has put himself in the shop window with four goals in eight matches. However, Bayern Munich are thought to be keen on him eventually replacing our third option on the list… It may be unlikely, but there’s no denying that United have a long-standing interest in Harry Kane . He has not lost a step at Bayern, but there is a lingering sense he has unfinished business in the Premier League. Any January deal is out of the question but, if Kane informs Bayern of his desire to leave in January, United could swoop in during the summer for a reduced fee of £56.7million. This bargain price comes with caveats for the Reds though – chiefly Tottenham. Spurs are believed to be able to match any bid for Kane, should they desire – and if they were to meet United’s approach, the Reds could be in trouble. However, there is no telling if the striker would want to return to his old club or whether he would prefer a fresh challenge. Either way, he should certainly be on United’s radar. Here at The Manchester Evening News , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories. And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .