Man Utd can sign Anthony Martial Moussa Dembele replacement for free

Manchester United have the opportunity to sign Lyon star Moussa Dembele in the summer for nothing as Erik ten Hag seeks a long-term replacement for Anthony Martial. The striker was previously linked with a move to Old Trafford while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge and now the club have the opportunity to bring him in without a significant transfer fee.

United are set to be on the lookout for a new No 9 over the summer with the position said to be Ten Hag’s top priority. There were hopes that Martial would make the jersey his own this season however he has been badly hampered by injuries while Wout Weghorst has struggled at times during his loan from Burnley and he is unlikely to stay beyond the end of the campaign.

The Red Devils have been credited with an interest in Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko in what would be marquee moves. However, there could be an alternative that would come in a lot cheaper, potentially allowing the club to spend on other positions.

Florian Plettenberg reports that Dembele will leave Lyon in the summer when his contract expires. Clubs from Italy, Germany and England are all interested in his signature but United may be able to gain the upper hand due to their previous interest in him.

United were first linked with Dembele in 2020 with Solskjaer viewing him as the perfect option for his frontline. That interest did not go away and Ten Hag was said to have kept him under consideration as he looked to add a striker over his first summer in charge.

Dembele has been a key player for Lyon since joining from Celtic in 2018 scoring 70 times in 169 appearances. However, the goals have dried up somewhat this season with Alexandre Lacazette taking his place as the team’s first-choice striker. He has found the net just three times in all competitions this season and is in desperate need of a move to get back on track.

Given there would be no transfer fee involved, Dembele could even come in as a supporting option to a new main man allowing Martial to leave and find a new club and giving United extra funds for a new first-choice No 9. The Frenchman needs an extended run in a team to get his career back on track following repetitive injuries and he is not likely to receive the opportunity at United if the Red Devils bring in a big name.

It remains to be seen who United will look to bring in during the summer but it appears increasingly likely that a new centre-forward will be one of the first things on the agenda. And signing Dembele as a new back-up might not be a bad idea either, it certainly wouldn’t be an expensive one.