Manchester United Transfers: Top 10 Striker Targets for Summer 2012

Why have Manchester United consistently performed to the highest level for the last 20 years?

One word: evolution.

Sir Alex Ferguson never lets a team become stagnant. He tries to introduce new staff, tactics or players that will revitalize and invigorate a flat team.

United's young side may be on the verge of greatness over the next few season but it's up to Sir Alex to keep the squad ticking over with new additions that add competition for places.

One might look at the abundance of strikers that the Red Devils have now but a team should never be settled; it can become complacent. A new signing might spark a response from some other players.

One of the reasons why Chelsea are yet to depart from "Mourinho Mode" is due to the fact that it is still the same team. An experienced manager like Sir Alex would never let that happen.

10. Ricky van Wolfswinkel

Ever since his days at FC Utrecht, Ricky van Wolfswinkel has been tracked by Sir Alex Ferguson and his backroom staff.

Quite a versatile player with the ability to play off the striker, wide or up front, the Dutchman has the explosiveness of Javier Hernandez in the box and the hold-up play of Robin van Persie outside it. 

The Sporting Lisbon striker is a quintessential Dutch footballer. He has a supreme understanding of space, while he knows how his teammates' positions influence his own movement.

He is fast, deceptively strong and has a good height for a player in England at 6'1".

What's most impressive is his calmness in front of goal. All the great finishers—Lionel Messi, Romario, Diego Maradona, Pele, Filippo Inzaghi—were extremely confident in their own ability. 

Take a look at the promising striker here.

9. Leandro Damião

If it wasn't for the spectacular rise in the media interest in Neymar, Leandro Damião may have been seen as the next big thing.

Saying that, there is no doubt the Brazilian striker has what it takes to become one of the premier strikers in the world of football.

With 52 goals in 86 games for his club, Internacional, we know straightaway he has a knack for finishing.

It is his skill in one-on-one situations that impresses me most. Quite often strikers just hold the ball up and while that has its obvious benefits, players that can go that next step and commit defenders into making silly tackles are a lot more dangerous.

Damião is a player that can hit that fifth gear.

Here are some of his skills. 

8. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar may be an obvious choice here, but he still has the attributes to become that top striker he always had the potential to be. 

Sir Alex Ferguson has always liked a goal-poacher. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Andy Cole, Javier Hernandez—to name a few—have proved to be huge successes at United without having a massive amount of skill or flair.

Huntelaar has never had it easy as a player. Since leaving Ajax in 2009, he has had unsuccessful spells in Madrid with Real and with AC Milan. 

Now at Schalke, he has a smaller club with lesser ambitions, Huntelaar seems more inclined to express himself, not confined by the weight of expectations.

United possibly need an experienced goal scorer. Huntelaar would be perfect. 

7. Giuseppe Rossi

Still only 25, Giuseppe Rossi should really have made that move to a major club already.

In fairness, he has been terribly unlucky when it comes to his health. He has, however, all the attributes to make it in all the top leagues in Europe.

He has the skill for Spain, the guile for Italy, the dynamism for Germany and the speed for England.

It's only a matter of time for Rossi until he's snapped up by a top club.

He knows United and its ethos, and would take no time to settle in. Surely he wouldn't command too much of a fee.

6. Fernando Llorente

Fernando Llorente is coming into the prime of his career.

At 26 years of age and possibly lacking the trophies he deserves, the Bilbao striker may regret not moving to a bigger club while he's still young.

Llorente, with the right players around him, can become a permanent fixture in any team in Europe and the Spanish national team.

He combines the most "un-Spanish" characteristic, his strength and physique, with quite a Spanish characteristic, his first touch and quality usage of the ball.

A quality player at a quality club, he would do even better if he was to link up with fellow Spaniard David de Gea at United.  

5. Lukas Podolski

Lukas Podolski must be hitting 30 now, right? Wrong, he's still only 26.

One of those players who seems to be have been around for 20 years, Podolski and club football have never really gone hand in hand.

We all know how he has excelled at the international level and although it's easier said than done, if he was to translate his international form into club form, he would be one of the best strikers in the world.

If there is one manager to transform underachieving players into world stars, it is Sir Alex Ferguson.

Podolski may be worth the risk and it is a big risk, but if it was to pay off, it would be a massive coup for United.

4. Gonzalo Higuain

The Argentine international has hardly had a fantastic season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It seems Jose Mourinho prefers the dynamic Karim Benzema rather than the goal scoring of Gonzalo Higuain.

It seems that Chelsea may want Higuain more at the moment, but United may become interested if he is offered to clubs.

Argentines seem to be more adaptable to the EPL, possibly due to their robust upbringing and natural physical strength. Higuain has all the physical attributes to make it in England. 

3. Antonio Di Natale

Some might see this as a surprise choice but Antonio Di Natale still has the quality to make the difference in a massive club like United.

His goal-scoring record speaks for itself, he has the experience and he has the name.

Signings like Henrik Larsson and Laurent Blanc were done not solely for their footballing ability; they were done for the aura they bring to the team—someone the younger players can look up to.

As experienced of a player as you'll get up front, Di Natale will bring this aura.

Although never seen as a really great player, the Udinese and Italy striker is and will be for a couple more years.

2. Jose Salomon Rondon

Jose Salomon Rondon would be my choice as another addition to the striker department at Old Trafford.

A man-mountain at 6'3", the Venezuelan international is only 23 and would add a really physical, Didier Drogba-type player to United's ranks. 

He is at "Money-Bags Malaga" and it will probably take a large enough fee to snatch the player but it would, in my opinion, be worth every penny.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

One can only dream...

But if it is true he wants to leave Real Madrid, where better than the club where it all started?