Manchester United will be looking for a new striker during the January transfer window, following the announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.
Ronaldo was United's top goalscorer in 2021/22, but they have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just 20 goals in 14 Premier League games.
Erik ten Hag could use the World Cup to find Ronaldo's replacement, as many highly rated strikers will be competing in Qatar.
We've looked at five strikers who United should keep an eye on during the tournament.
Dusan Vlahovic
Vlahovic became a household name in 2021 after scoring 33 league goals for Fiorentina, tying Cristiano Ronaldo's Serie A record for most goals in a calendar year.
After selling Ronaldo to United in August 2021, Juventus needed a new striker and spent an initial £58 million on the 22-year-old in the January transfer window.
In Turin, he took over Ronaldo's No.7 shirt, but he has struggled to replicate his best form at the Allianz Stadium, scoring 16 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions in 2022.
To be sure, Juventus had a difficult start to the 2022/23 season, and Massimiliano Allegri's tactics frequently isolate the Serbia striker as an attacking force.
At international level, he plays in a front two with Fulham's Aleksandr Mitrovic, scoring nine goals in 17 appearances.
Vlahovic will now hope to demonstrate his abilities on the biggest stage, as Serbia competes in the World Cup group stages against Brazil, Switzerland, and Cameroon.
Lautaro Martinez
Martinez, another household name, joined Inter Milan in 2018 and has quickly established himself as one of Europe's most sought-after center forwards.
He has 82 goals in 202 appearances for Inter, helping them win the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and the Supercoppa Italiana.
While the striker has publicly committed his future to the Serie A club, they have been struggling financially and may have to sell one of their most valuable assets.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, United are interested in Martinez and spoke with his agent after he scored in Inter's 3-3 draw with Barcelona last month.When asked if Martinez can press from the front, South American football journalist Tim Vickery told GiveMeSport, "He can certainly do that." "He can definitely play that game, and he is more than just a pure number nine."
"He's mobile and adaptable, but he's also straightforward and uncomplicated." You put the ball in front of him, and it either goes into the net with his left foot, right foot, or in the air. I believe he would be a good fit for United."
Argentina's undisputed striker, the 25-year-old has 21 goals in 41 appearances for his country, including seven in World Cup qualifiers.Despite their shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia, Argentina remains one of the favorites to win the 2022 World Cup, and Martinez will be vying for the Golden Boot.
Goncalo Ramos
Ramos, a Benfica academy graduate, has helped fill the void left by Darwin Nunez's departure this season, tallying 14 goals and six assists in 21 appearances across all competitions.
Ten Hag is said to be looking for a dynamic center-forward who can contribute to build-up play, and Ramos fits the bill perfectly."More is being asked of a spearhead to be more complete," Ramos recently stated. "People used to believe that a striker's sole purpose was to score goals and that everything else was secondary, but I believe that image has begun to fade in recent years."
“It is increasingly important for a striker to be more in the game and contribute more to the team, to connect the game, to put pressure on. Frequently with movements in which you end up in another position and request a different type of task."
Despite having no senior international experience, Ramos was named to Portugal's World Cup squad and made his debut with a goal and an assist in a friendly win over Nigeria.To be sure, he won't start for Portugal in Qatar, as Fernando Santos has Ronaldo, Rafael Leao, Andre Silva, and Joao Felix at his disposal.
However, the 21-year-old could make an impact off the bench and eventually force his way into Santos' starting XI.
Jonathan David
David moved to France in the summer of 2020 and was a member of the victorious Lille squad that defeated PSG to win the Ligue 1 title in 2020/21.
He's since grown in stature, with nine goals and three assists in 15 Ligue 1 appearances this season.
The 22-year-old has been linked with transfers to Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle.
"Yeah, you know, for me, I was always watching European football on TV and that was always the goal to go to Europe," David told Sky Sports.
Mehdi Taremi
Taremi was a late bloomer, arriving in Europe at the age of 27 to join Portuguese club Rio Ave.
He moved to Porto a year later and has since scored 62 goals and assisted 43 times in 115 appearances across all competitions, including the 2020/21 Champions League goal of the season.
The 30-year-old has not been linked with United, but he would be a short-term and low-cost replacement for Ronaldo.
Despite being deprived of possession during Iran's 6-2 World Cup defeat to England, he demonstrated his ruthless streak by scoring with a brilliant first-time shot and converting a late penalty.
Taremi now has 30 goals in 61 international appearances and will be hoping to add to that total.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0