Man Utd's shock swap deal talk make sense as Viktor Gyokeres talk continues

There is an element of the unknown as Ruben Amorim settles into life at Manchester United.

As with most newly-appointed managers, or head coach in this case, a fresh approach tends to bring a wave of positivity and optimism and that certainly seems to be what we have seen since the former Portugal international was persuaded to life with Sporting CP for a stint at reviving the fortunes at Old Trafford. Amorim arrives looking to build on what felt like a positive upturn in form under interim manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who won three of his four games in temporary charge, drawing the odd one out as his side shared the points with Chelsea.

However, the former Red Devils striker has now moved on and all focus is on what impact Amorim will have as he looks to carry on the momentum he has gained from an overwhelmingly successful spell in charge of Sporting. As ever, there is talk of recruitment first and foremost and the Old Trafford hierarchy will get a chance to strengthen their new head coach’s squad when the January transfer window opens for business in just over seven weeks time.

Top of the agenda, given the misfiring nature of the current United forward line, has to be a prolific striker. There should be no surprise Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres has been mentioned across the media after rising to prominence during Amorim’s time in charge of the Portuguese giants. The former Coventry City and Brighton striker has plundered his way to 66 goals in 68 games during his time at the Estadio Jose Alvalade and has established himself as one of European football’s most in-demand strikers.

Looking at the current strikers within the Red Devils, Rasmus Hojlund and summer signing Joshua Zirkzee have scored just three goals between them during the first three months of the season and the latter has not found the net since the opening day of the season when he got the only goal of a home win against Fulham. The vast majority of United’s goals have come from attacking midfielders and wingers with the Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes pitching in with a combined 15 goals so far this season.

Quite simply, a striker feels to be an essential signing and that is perhaps why they should be some attention paid towards speculation United are considering a swap deal that would bring an early end to Zirkzee’s time at Old Trafford and see Napoli striker Victor Osimhen moving in the opposite direction. Speculation via Italian news outlet Il Mattino has suggested United would struggle to trigger a reported release clause of around £68m that is currently in Osimhen’s current deal - but could try to persuade the Serie A club into a deal by offering Zirkzee, who scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in 58 appearances for Bologna, in part-exchange.

Such a move would make sense, despite bringing what many would consider to be a premature end to Zirkzee’s time in Manchester. The focus has to be adding goals to a United side that have scored fewer Premier League goals than four of the seven clubs currently sat below them in the table. Osimhen, who has scored eight goals in nine appearances during the early months of a loan spell with Galatasaray, is a proven striker at the highest level and carries all of the swagger and confidence needed to lead the line at Old Trafford. With 94 goal contributions (goals and assists) in 133 games for Napoli, he has proven he can cope with carrying the weight at the top end of the pitch at the highest level and he has helped his side to success after playing an integral role in their historic Serie A title win during the 2022/23 season.

Although there would have to be a large dose of patience required as Osimhen completes his season-long loan in Turkey, making a quickfire move for a high calibre striker next summer when he enters the final 12 months of his deal at Napoli, could well be the first step to ensuring Amorim’s first full season in charge is a successful one.