Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement Manchester United In 2013, there were some exciting strikers gracing Old Trafford.
Of course, the likes of Wayne Rooney, Chicharito and Robin van Persie were there after the legendary manager's reign, but they also bought in some enterprising strikers.
Before his injury problems, Anthony Martial was exciting to watch at times in the Premier League, and his partner in crime, Marcus Rashford, showed his qualities in patches. Bruno Fernandes has led from the front in a United shirt since joining in 2020 and he has done just that 86 goals and 77 assists for the club.
Arguably one of the most underrated strikers since the glory days under Ferguson has been Edinson Cavani.
Cavani scored with United
Cavani moved to Old Trafford On free transfer After his departure from French giant Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. United legend Gary Neville explained He was “skeptical when United signed Cavani”, but admitted the striker was “very exciting in every way” during his time in Manchester.
Indeed, United fans loved their former number seven, even though he did not play much in front of the fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It's just him Played 59 times For the Red Devils, he scored 19 goals and provided 6 assists.
The striker's impact in the Europa League during his first season at the club has been impressive. He scored six goals and made two assists in the final four matches of the competition as United reached the final but lost to Villarreal.
He left when his contract expired in 2022 and He explained that he had “Nothing but words of gratitude to the fans and supporters.” It has been a short but sweet time at United for Cavani, and he will be regarded as a beloved hero for the club.
Funnily enough, United have been linked with another Uruguayan striker in recent days, who will have to work hard if he wants to win over United fans as Cavani did so quickly. However, Director Reuben Amorim He will hope to become his own version of Cavani.
Manchester United targets the Uruguayan striker
Surprisingly, the player in question here is the Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez. According to reports from SpainHowever, the Red Devils “are emerging as a prime candidate to secure the services of the Uruguayan striker”. The fee is currently unconfirmed, but Liverpool would likely want a significant portion of the sum back They spent £85 million on him Back in 2022 from Benfica.
Nunez was always touted as a player who would go on to do great things, and was described as a player with “world-class potential”. By football talent scout Jacek Kulig. His numbers with Benfica were impressive, scoring 48 goals and making 16 assists In 85 matches For the Portuguese giants.
In Liverpool, he was not as strong. Now, in his third season with the club, the 25-year-old has scored 39 goals and provided 21 assists. In 123 matchesdespite scoring just six goals and four assists in the 2024/25 season.
His best season for the Reds came in 2023/24, where he scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists. In 54 matches. His Sovascore statistics Since that season he has been impressive, managing 3 shots per game and creating 11 big chances.
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Nunes statistics in the 2023/24 season in the English Premier League |
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|---|---|
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Statistics |
number |
|
It starts |
22 |
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Goals and assists |
19 |
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Shots per match |
3 |
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Shots on goal per match |
1.3 |
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It created great opportunities |
11 |
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Dribbling success rate per match |
43% |
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Duels won in each match |
2.4 |
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Statistics from SofaScore |
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United signing Nunez would come as a shock, and perhaps not the most popular move right away. However, this is similar to the Cavani deal, with Neville suggesting people are not convinced, albeit for different reasons.
The former United striker has enjoyed massive success over time, and while the expensive signing from rivals Liverpool may take longer to win over at Old Trafford, it is possible.
If United get through this deal, Amorim will be desperate for Núñez to become his own Cavani and help take his team to the next level.