What’s the story?
Manchester United have identified Alexandre Lacazette as a backup option for Alvaro Morata in case the Manchester United management are not able to push through the deal with the Spanish Champions Real Madrid according to reports in The Peoples Person. United have already made a bid for the Spanish international and have agreed to personal terms with the forward, however Real value him higher than the current bid for the Spaniard.
Also Read: Rumour: Manchester United bid €60 million for Paris St-Germain midfielder
In case you didn’t know..
Alexandre Lacazette had secured a move to Atletico de Madrid, but the deal had to be later revoked after the Spanish club’s transfer ban was upheld by FIFA. That also confirmed that primary target Antoine Griezmann would stay at Madrid, forcing United to turn their attention to Alvaro Morata.
Reports earlier in the window suggested that the Europa League winners were close to signing the Spaniard, after his representative Juanma Lopez visited the Bernabeu officials to finalise the deal between the two clubs. But, since then there has been no new announcement as to the status of the deal.
The heart of the matter
Real Madrid have reportedly set an asking price of £79 million for the Spaniard. Morata scored 20-goals in all competitions last season, only outscored by Cristiano Ronaldo in the Real Madrid shirt, but it needs to be taken into context that this was the first prolific season for the 24-year-old, breaking the 20-goal barrier for the first time in top division football.
Lacazette, on the other hand, has broken the 20-goal barrier in each of the last 3 seasons and represents a much lower investment for the Old Trafford outfit.
What’s Next?
Manchester United are undoubtedly going to buy a striker this season given Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been released, and Wayne Rooney seems destined to follow his footsteps and leave Old Trafford. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are undoubtedly talented, but still, represents rawness rather than the steel a title contesting team needs as their striker.
Whether it will be Alvaro Morata, Andre Belotti or Alexandre Lacazette remains to be seen.
Author’s Take
Jose Mourinho, historically, has preferred his strikers to be able to hold up the ball with their back to goal. The archetypical target men. Morata to some extent provides the option, but Lacazette’s qualities are nowhere close to them.
Fans are undoubtedly resigned to playing the waiting game.
