5 Players Manchester United Should Consider to Replace Robin Van Persie

Jamie Jackson of the Guardian wrote of Manchester United's Robin van Persie on Monday: 

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[He] will be 32 in August and is hoping to earn a one-year extension, in line with United’s general policy with players in their 30s, but Louis van Gaal is considering allowing him to be sold.

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If he is sold, presumably Van Gaal is not intending to rely on Wayne Rooney, the underperforming Radamel Falcao and the inexperienced James Wilson to be his only striking options. 

Let's take a look at five options from around Europe who could be considered to replace the Dutchman. 

Paulo Dybala

The young Argentinian has attracted plenty of attention. It is no surprise that he has, given Paulo Dybala has notched up 13 goals and 10 assists for Palermo in Serie A. 

In the above video for Bleacher Report, Matteo Bonetti compares Dybala to Sergio Aguero. Bonetti also suggests that Juventus are the favourites for his signature.

However, United should certainly consider the possibility of bringing him to England.

While it is likely to be a reasonably expensive gamble—given the interest in the player—it may be one worth taking. If he can improve his physical strength enough to cope with the demands of the Premier League he could grow into a huge asset to the Red Devils. 

Alexandre Lacazette

Laurent Cipriani/Associated Press

Alexandre Lacazette is enjoying a remarkable season with Lyon. His 27 goals in 32 league appearances means he is comfortably top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts. 

In an interview with United fan site the People's Person on Monday, Bleacher Report's French football expert Jonathan Johnson said of the striker: 

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I think that Manchester United could snap Lacazette up but it is completely up to the player to decide when he wants to leave.

Listening to him speak, it seems as if he is prepared to stay in France until after the 2016 European Championships on home soil. The only thing that could change that is if Lyon receive an offer of crazy money from a European (or domestic) side capable of offering the player Champions League football and a place to take his game to the next level. By crazy money, I am talking upwards of €40m.

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Any investment on that scale would be a risk. However, although this has been Lacazette's real breakout season, he did score 15 league goals last season and certainly seems to be on an upward trajectory. 

Lacazette's goal record this season is such that a potential transfer would certainly ignite excitement, and at just 23, his best years should be ahead of him. It may be a risk worth taking.

Paco Alcacer

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Paco Alcacer may be difficult to shift from Valencia. 

Back in January, he signed a new contract with the Spanish club saying, per Ben Jefferson of the Express:

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Every time I came into the club’s offices my answer was always the same. I never had any doubts. I’ve been coming to this stadium to watch the team since I was young and for me it’s a dream come true. I’m very proud to be at Valencia and even more so because I’ve been here since I was a child.

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Jefferson also reported that his release clause would be £60 million, which is, of course, excessive for a young forward who has got 10 league goals for the first time this season. 

Back in March of 2014, Valencia's then coach Juan Antonio Pizzi was talking about Alcacer in the most glowing terms possible. He told a news conference (h/t FourFourTwo) "He's at a higher level than any other comparable player in the world, save for Messi and Cristiano. It's invaluable to have a player in his type of form."

Sadly for Pizzi and Alcacer, that form has dropped off, but he has done enough in his young career to suggest he has a bright future. If United could tempt him away from his boyhood club at a more reasonable price, he may be worth consideration.

Edinson Cavani

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Edinson Cavani seems to have been a perennial Manchester United target over the past couple of seasons.

He is described as a potential target for United in this Express article from Saturday, wherein Joe Short covers a story in Gazzetta dello Sport, suggesting that a summer move to Juventus has been "agreed" by Cavani.

In a way, this could be a blessing in disguise for United. Cavani has not reached 20 goals in a league season since leaving Napoli to go to Paris Saint-Germain in 2013. Admittedly, he has had to battle for top billing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic since. However, it is still a significant reduction in output since he left Italy. 

A return to Serie A may be the best thing for Cavani.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

And speaking of Ibrahimovic...

Okay, so it would be somewhat ridiculous to spend the kind of money that would presumably be required for his services.

But it could be very fun. 

Admittedly, playing as a lone striker in a mobile 4-3-3 might not exactly get the best out of the Swedish superstar, but a chance to see him in United red, even if it was just for a season, would be too good to pass up. 

In all seriousness, he could act as a target man and is highly capable of helping to unlock deep-lying and stubborn defences—something which United have struggled to do of late.

At 33 he would certainly not be a long-term option, but for a season, as United readjust to the Champions League, they could do a lot worse than have Zlatan around.