Manchester United could have a problem replacing Cristiano Ronaldo as the main striker at the club this season. A report from Fichajes in Spain has earmarked six forwards that could replace the 37-year-old Portuguese international.
One of the players in the report is Andre Silva, who has been linked to the club in the past few years, however, there is nothing to state that the 26-year-old Portuguese forward is wanted by the Old Trafford club this summer – but he could well be an option should there need to be movement.
The Portuguese international has had a varied career, starting his first team football at Porto in 2015, leaving for AC Milan in 2017. The player was then loaned to Sevilla and Eintracht Frankfurt before being sold to the German club, moving to RB Leipzig last summer.
Silva has scored goals for every club he has played for, starting with Porto, where he made 58 appearances, scoring 24 goals and 11 assists. At AC Milan he made 41 appearances, scoring 10 goals and two assists. That seemed to be a good start for his career.
Whilst in Milan, Silva was loaned to Sevilla where he made 40 appearances, scoring 11 goals and three assists, also being loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt, a club he was sold to after the loan spell. He made 71 appearances, scoring 45 goals and 15 assists at the club.
RB Leipzig signed the striker last summer in a €23 million deal and so far he has made 49 appearances, scoring 17 goals and nine assists. In total, in 250 appearances in first team football, Silva has scored 107 goals and 40 assists – a good output for his age.
Whilst the 26-year-old would not be a readymade replacement for Ronaldo – nowhere near as prolific in front of goal, he could be a decent player to rebuild the club around with new manager Erik ten Hag putting his signature on the squad.
Granted, United might not be interested in the Portuguese international, who to date has been capped 51 times, scoring 19 goals and four assists but there is some scope to start the 2022/23 season with a striker who can score goals and help drive United towards glory again.
It could well be that Ten Hag brings in his own man this summer with the club interested in signing Antony but his price tag is high at this time, which is understandable as Ajax will not want to see all their best players leave the club in the same summer transfer window.
Written by John Walker
