Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a testament to how far a football player can push the limits of the human body and conquer all before him at the highest level of sport. It is perhaps more to do with his mental makeup and unerring determination to perform at the best of his best ability despite his age.
Lest we forget, Ibrahimovic is 35-years-old currently. Many doubted the impact he would make in the Premier League, the toughest league in the world, which he graced this season after his best ever season in history for Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.
Last season, Ibrahimovic scored an astounding 50 goals in 51 games for the French club. Although he hasn’t hit those heights this season for Manchester United, he has still bagged 26 goals in 38 games for the Red Devils. This is remarkable because he is the only 35-year-old to achieve this feat.
Sadly, he has come to the Premier League a little too late and surely doesn’t have more than two seasons left in him. But this is Ibrahimovic we’re talking about so he may just be an exception to the cliche of performances fading away with age. Nevertheless, the Red Devils will need to replace him at some stage and so we look at five top strikers who could replace the Swede next season or in the future.
#5 Andrea Belotti
Nicknamed ‘The Rooster’, Andrea Belotti has, in a short space of time, become one of Europe’s most coveted strikers. The Italian hitman, who currently plies his trade at Serie A outfit Torino, has been in lethal form this season.
His performances have sparked interest from a host of high-profile clubs. The 23-year-old Italian striker has scored 21 goals and registered three assists for his club this season and continues to prove why he is highly sought after by Europe’s heavyweights.
Manchester United are interested in signing him and he would be a good fit at Old Trafford. However, he will not come cheap and has a hefty price tag of £85 million.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Relatively young age | Price tag |
| Finishing ability | No experience in the Premier League |
| Aggression and work rate | Has only hit 20+ goals in one season |
| Aerial threat | Could take time to adjust |
#4 Romelu Lukaku
Belgian international Romelu Lukaku has quickly proved his worth in the Premier League after being offloaded by Chelsea a few years ago. The 23-year-old striker is well known for his physical ability and strength and is a handful to play against for most Premiership defenders.
The Belgian has scored 18 goals and made four assists for Everton this season and shows no signs of slowing down. He is the joint highest goal scorer in the Premier League with 17 goals for the Toffees in the 2016/17 campaign.
Lukaku could be a handy striker for Jose Mourinho as ‘The Special One’ has worked with him in the past at Chelsea. Mourinho could also use the youngster’s physicality up front in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Relatively young age | Passing |
| Tried and tested in the Premier League | Work rate |
| Strength and physicality | Defensive Contribution |
| Aerial ability | Conversion rate |
#3 Alexandre Lacazette
Alexandre Lacazette has been banging goals in for Lyon for the last few seasons and is a dominant and feared striker in Ligue 1. The French centre-forward is a complete player and has all the attributes to make it big in the Premier League and it is quite surprising that no club has made a move for him.
The 25-year-old is in his prime and would be an asset to most English clubs. His pace, power, tenacity and finishing have got him 27 goals in 31 games for Lyon and he is rumoured to be on Arsenal’s radar. However, should Jose Mourinho decide to purchase the French striker, he would certainly light up the Premier League.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Dribbling and passing | No Premier League experience |
| Finishing and long range shots | Off-field behaviour |
| Power, tenacity and pace | Work ethic |
| Can hold up play |
#2 Mauro Icardi
The current captain of Inter Milan, Mauro Icardi has been touted for a switch to England for some time now. But the Argentine striker has chosen to stay at Inter Milan despite their failures domestically and in Europe.
The 24-year-old has great ability and potential and can be moulded by Jose Mourinho into a fearsome striker much like his compatriot Sergio Aguero. Icardi has managed to score 18 goals for Inter while also registering eight assists(the highest on this list). He will surely benefit from Mourinho’s style of management and could replace Ibrahimovic as the focal point of Manchester United’s attacks. He will also come relatively cheaper than the other names on this list.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Finishing | Inexperience in the Premier League |
| Dribbling | Could take time to adjust to rigours of English football |
| Comparatively low price tag | Often gets involved in controversial situations |
| Young age and leadership |
#1 Harry Kane
’Hurricane’ as he is often called, is one of the Premier League’s top marksmen. He is currently the joint top goal scorer in the Premier League along with Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez with 17 goals.
He has scored 22 goals in all competitions and has made four assists as well. Kane’s eye for goal is well known and the striker can turn matches on their head on his own. However, Manchester United’s Premier League rivals Tottenham will be reluctant to let go of their star striker and he could come at the cost of a new British transfer record.
Kane will fit perfectly into United’s front line and his ability to hit the back of the net consistently every season is a huge bonus for the Red Devils who are short of fire-power up front.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Premier League experience | Struggles against top defenders |
| Finishing and long range shots | Hefty price tag |
| Aerial ability | Injury prone |
| Hold up play | Lack of pace |
