Manchester United will acquire a new striker during this summer's transfer window, but it will again be a huge challenge for the club to bring in the right player in the final third of the field.
In an ideal world, the Red Devils would have signed Harry Kane last summer, but the England international ultimately made the move to Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur.
Rasmus Hojlund was supposed to be in and out of the team this season, but he has had to take on a leading role due to Anthony Martial's struggles and unavailability.
All things considered, Hojlund has enjoyed a positive season, scoring 13 times in all competitions, but the 21-year-old needs support next season, and it is set to arrive.
With that in mind, Sports Mole looks at three possible signings for Man United this summer, as it will be difficult to bring in a huge name due to the other areas of the squad that need a boost.
Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)
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Guirassy has been outstanding for Stuttgart during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 27 goals and registering two assists in 25 appearances in all competitions, including 25 goals in 23 Bundesliga outings.
The striker was linked with a move away from his German club in January after it became apparent that there was a release clause in his contract.
The buy-out fee, which is thought to be as low as €17.5m (£15m), will allegedly also be in his deal this summer, so Stuttgart are highly unlikely to keep hold of him.
Boasting a record of 41 goals in 53 appearances for Stuttgart, the 28-year-old has been one of the most prolific forwards in world football over the last couple of seasons, and he could be a very smart signing for Man United.
Guirassy can score all types of goals, and his game intelligence has also been on display during his time in German football.
For that price, it is a no-brainer for Man United, but other clubs will also be in the hunt, and it will be fascinating to see what happens with the Guinea international this summer.
Ivan Toney (Brentford)
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Man United are believed to have moved into pole position when it comes to Toney, who is set to leave Brentford this summer, 12 months before his contract with Thomas Frank's side comes to an end.
The England international scored 20 Premier League goals for the Bees last season, while he has four goals in 13 league outings this term since returning from a betting-related suspension.
There have been suggestions that the 28-year-could be available for around £40m considering his contract situation, and the fact that he is expected to push for a move.
Toney has an advantage over Guirassy as he is proven in the Premier League, scoring 36 times and registering 10 assists in 79 appearances in the competition.
There had been talk of a huge price tag earlier this year, but at around £40m, he could be a bargain.
Man United need a striker who will not stunt the progress of Hojlund, and there are certainly parts of Toney's game that the former can learn from, so a summer move would make a lot of sense, providing that he can be brought in for a fair price.
Jonathan David (Lille)
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This is expected to be the summer when David moves on, and there will not be a shortage of interest in the Lille centre-forward considering his quality and goal return.
The 24-year-old has again been in strong form for his French club this season, scoring 23 goals and registering seven assists in 40 appearances in all competitions.
Meanwhile, since making the move to Lille from Gent in August 2020, the Canada international has a record of 81 goals and 16 assists in 176 appearances.
David has gained Champions League experience during his time at his current side, netting three times in eight appearances in the competition, while his record in Ligue 1 is an impressive 68 goals and nine assists in 140 appearances, helping Les Dogues win the title in 2020-21.
A number of clubs are believed to be interested in the striker, who only has a contract with Lille until June 2025.
As a result, the French team are not in a strong position when it comes to any potential negotiations, so he is likely to be available for a relatively small fee.
