Manchester United: Which Striker Should Ferguson Sign?

Manchester United is in the market for a world class striker according to Sir Alex Ferguson before the transfer window shuts on 1^st September. In light of this I will take a closer look at some top strikers who have been linked with the club this summer -

DIMITAR BERBATOV (Bulgaria & Tottenham Hotspur)

The most likely candidate there is no doubting the class & pedigree of Berbatov. He is desperate for a move to United since they made their interest concrete last summer after his magnificent first season. Statistically his quality is obvious, a career total 173 goals in 333 games at club level including 23 goals in each of his two seasons in the Premiership.

He would complement Rooney & Tevez, adding something different & being the tall striker that Ferguson wants. My only concern is at 27, the £30 million transfer fee reported by the media is expensive. I agree he is a world class player bringing instant impact & both parties involved being English clubs inflates the price. However, I still believe any deal over £25 million would be too excessive.

KARIM BENZEMA (France & Lyon)

A future star of world football at 20 years old Benzema already has 105 appearances under his belt with French champions Lyon. At the start of his career Benzema played as a winger, cementing himself as a striker in 2007-08 scoring 24 goals in 37 games including a goal against United in the Champions League.

He would be a sensational addition to the squad though recently signed a new contract extension at Lyon till 2013. Benzema also hinted in the past that Spain & Italy would suit him more than England. Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyon President also being a known rigid negotiator makes this deal difficult & unlikely, especially this summer.

KLASS-JAN HUNTELAAR (Netherlands & Ajax)

‘The Hunter’ is an intelligent & clinical striker scoring an incredible 163 goals in 220 games over his club career. Since moving to Ajax in 2006, Huntelaar has been prolific with a return of 96 goals in 115 games averaging 0.83 goals per game! Being a consistent goalscorer with flair has led to favorable comparisons with the great Marco Van Basten. Earlier in the summer Huntelaar said Manchester United, “are very interested in me”.

Huntelaar ticks all the boxes, firstly would cost significantly less than Berbatov (Transfer + Wages) leaving funds to strengthen other areas & at 25, he is 3 years younger so is a long-term investment. The Premiership is quicker than the Eredivisie, so some may argue those statistics cannot be repeated as the level of defending is superior. But surely so is the attacking service & chances Huntelaar would get at United. There is no reason why he cannot be more successful than Ruud, I for one would not argue with his record.

SERGIO “EL KUN” AGUERO (Argentina & Atletico Madrid)

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