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Wayne Rooney has been going places this season in spite of his club's poor League position. The striker, who recently signed a new five year deal with United, has rediscovered his old form and has bailed his team out on numerous occasions.However we must not forget that the Englishman will be 29 this year and age can take a toll on his brilliant form. Manchester United need not fret as there are a few young players who are more than capable of filling the strikers boots in the future. Here is a list of 5 potential Rooney replacements at Manchester United.
#1 James Wilson
The teenage striker is one of United’s most exciting young players and should be knocking on the doors of the first team in the near future. Wilson is a lethal striker and has always been played ahead of his age group. The youngster broke into the Under-18 team as a 15 year old in a match against Everton and even managed to score on his debut.
The highlight of his career came when he scored 5 goals in one match against Newcastle’s Under-18 team last year. He has already broken into the Red Devils’ Under-21 team for whom he recently scored a stunning hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wilson's performances have attracted the attention of David Moyes who named him on the bench for the recent match against Newcastle. The home grown striker is the perfect candidate to replace Wayne Rooney in the future as not all Manchester United players cost millions.
#2 Son Heung-Min
Few people might be aware of this South Korean youngster but that hasn’t stopped him from scoring goals for Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen. Son was signed by Leverkusen for €10 million after netting 20 goals in 73 appearances for Hamburger SV, making him only the fourth Asian footballer to score more than 10 goals in one of the big Leagues. The youngster operates as a forward and is swift, along with a creative mind, making him a worthy candidate to fill Rooney’s boots at Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old has hit the ground running with Leverkusen, scoring 11 goals including a hat-trick against former club Hamburg and an important goal against Borussia Dortmund along with assisting 5 goals. The South Korean international has already won 23 caps for his country, scoring 6 goals and is sure to be an important part of their World Cup squad.
The youngster will only get better with age and will draw attention from other clubs and United, will probably be one of them.
#3 Luc Castaignos
The Dutchman is relatively unknown outside the Eredivise but he has been taking the Netherlands by storm. The 21-year-old began his career at Feyenood, netting 15 goals before moving to Inter Milan where he made just 6 appearances before returning to his homeland to Dutch club FC Twente.
Castaignos is already a key part of the FC Twente side and has found the back of the net 23 times in 53 appearances so far. The forward had previously stated that he wants a transfer to a big club making Manchester United a perfect place for him.
The youngster has represented the Netherlands at youth levels and is currently a member of the Under-21 team where he has found the back of the net 5 times in 9 appearances. Castaignos’playing style has been compared to that of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and will be a player to look out for in the future.
The Netherlands Under-21 international can surely be a worthy replacement for Wayne Rooney at Manchester United if he continues his strong form. Dutch players have always enjoyed success at Old Trafford, so there’s a good chance that Castaignos will succeed if he signs for the Old Trafford club.
#4 Timo Werner
The German attacker became the youngest Stuttgart player when he made his debut for the Bundesliga side as a 17-year-old in the Europa League last year. Werner is slowly settling into the Stuttgart side scoring 4 goals including a brace against SC Freiburg making him the third youngest Bundesliga player to net a brace.
The 18-year-old forward has an appetite for scoring goals and has represented Germany at various youth levels including the Under-17 team where he netted 16 goals in 18 appearances. Werner has enormous potential and stands a chance of filling in Wayne Rooney’s boots in the future if he is purchased by Manchester United.
#5 Keita Balde Diao
Keita Balde Diao – The Senegalese youngster is currently making waves with Serie A side Lazio. Diao was a youth product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy but was shut out of the team after playing a practical joke on a team-mate during a tournament in Qatar. The 18-year-old left Barca for Lazio where he has evolved into one of the most promising Serie A youngsters.
The teenage forward has undeniable talent and will soon be too good to play for Lazio. The player’s agent has already stated that his client will make a move from the Italian club in the near future. Diao was previously on the radar of Manchester United after he quit Barca but no move materialized.
However the Red Devils’ could return with a bid for the youngster after his displays in Italy. Diao is destined for greatness and at 18 he has plenty of time to be groomed into a player capable of replacing Rooney.
