3 Strikers Manchester United Could Still Sign This Transfer Window

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney goes into the game against Aston Villa on Friday night hoping to open his account for the season. He should be confident in his chances, having scored 13 goals against the Villans, more than he has done against any other Premier League side.

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Wayne Rooney has now scored 13 goals vs. Aston Villa, more than he's managed against any other Premier League side. pic.twitter.com/zgw0QEKrAQ

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 4, 2015"

All this takes place with tremendous pressure on Rooney's shoulders. United have gone from having an abundance of theoretically top-class centre-forwards to just one theoretically top-class centre-forward. Theoretical because, as I wrote about in more detail here, it has been three years since Rooney regularly led the line at United.

United are probably OK for backup for their captain. Javier Hernandez, James Wilson and Adnan Januzaj are probably next in line for the No. 9 spot at the moment. What United need more than backup then, is another very high-calibre first-choice option in case the Rooney experiment fails.

Let's take a look at three forwards they could target in order to make that happen.

Harry Kane

Watching Tottenham Hotspur against United, it was hard not to daydream about Spurs' English No. 10 joining his international team-mate at United.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

There has been plenty of reported interest in the summer, but David Hytner of the Guardian says Spurs "remain adamant that they will not sell Harry Kane to Manchester United or any other club this summer." 

He is, after all, one of their own, and after a relatively settled summer at White Hart Lane, there would be a good deal of upheaval caused by a late sale of their prized asset.

However, stranger things have happened in football. United are presumably in a position to make a very substantial offer. This time last year, the idea of a deadline-day move for Radamel Falcao would have felt pretty far-fetched for most United fans. 

Spurs' "hands-off" stance is logical for the time being, but if the Red Devils are really keen, they could apply a lot of financial pressure between now and the beginning of September.

He would be an excellent fit for United's current system as he is comfortable on the ball and a very promising all-round No. 9. Given he has had just one good season, a sizeable investment would represent a sizeable gamble, but another good campaign this time out will hardly lessen his value in the transfer market.

Karim Benzema

The links between Karim Benzema and Arsenal have lingered throughout the summer, per the Telegraph.

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

If United want a top-quality option at centre-forward, then they should look to hijack any potential Arsenal deal. Benzema's hold-up play, his movement through the channels and his superb finishing would make him a great focal point for Louis van Gaal's system.

Presumably, prying a player away from Real Madrid will be a challenge—given their summer-long pursuit of David De Gea, it is hard to see them being willing to negotiate much with United. However, if the numbers can be made to add up, he would be as good an addition for United as he would for Arsenal.

Pedro

Last, but not least, Barcelona inside right Pedro Rodriguez belongs on this list.

It is a slight cheat, as he would not be a potential replacement for Rooney but rather could support and play alongside him. In that way, he might suit United's current needs better than someone who would want to come in and usurp Van Gaal's captain.

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Pedro is the player Manchester United #MUFC thought Angel Di Maria would be (for @br_uk): http://t.co/W94Vl4RHvw

— Graham Ruthven (@grahamruthven) August 12, 2015"

Rumours are swirling as this is being written about both United and Manchester City being interested in the player. Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (h/t Colin Harvey of the Daily Star) reported on Wednesday that the player had chosen United over City and was on his way.

At the time of writing, nothing has been formally announced. Of course, Pedro is not an out-and-out No. 9, but he is most certainly a forward rather than a midfielder. His main contribution to Barca's cause in the past few seasons has come from goals rather than assists.

He would likely bring those goals and a new dimension to United's attacking play, which could make a big difference. For now, he looks the most likely arrival on the list.

A player such as Kane or Benzema might be more likely to arrive next summer, depending on how Rooney copes with the aforementioned pressure over the next nine months.