Manchester United are expected to miss out on one of their top transfer targets at striker this summer, as Joshua Zirkzee continues to inch closer to a move within Serie A from upstarts Bologna to title contenders AC Milan.
The Rossoneri needed a new striker to replace the iconic Olivier Giroud, who is headed to MLS this summer after another fantastic campaign in the Italian top flight.
As for Manchester United, they do have a standout young striker who came from Serie A for a high price in 2023, as Rasmus Hojlund had an encouraging first season in the Premier League after showing his potential in Italy with Atalanta.
But while Manchester United are optimistic about the Danish international’s future, they do need another striker to help him out, which is why they were interested in Zirkzee.
With the Dutchman set to come off the open market as a newly minted Milan player, Manchester United need to turn to other options, but there is arguably a better option for the Red Devils within Serie A.
Genoa striker Albert Gudmundsson had quite the breakout campaign and was quietly right there with Inter Milan star Marcus Thuram as one of the best all-around strikers in Serie A.
Gudmundsson scored 14 goals with 4 assists in a strong season from start to finish, shining against big clubs like Juventus while leading the line by example in Genoa.
The Iceland international posted some of the best all-around numbers of any No. 9 in the world this past season, averaging 2.3 key passes per game with 2.5 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game.
If Gudmundsson played for Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes would have been the only better attacking player on the entire team, as Gudmundsson’s numbers even put Hojlund’s to shame.
At 26, Gudmundsson is a bit of a late bloomer and is just entering the prime of his career, making him an intriguing buy-low candidate for Manchester United.
The Red Devils could sign him for less than Milan will sign Zirkzee, though they will have plenty of competition from other top clubs in Serie A with both Roma and Juventus keen on the star striker.
Manchester United and INEOS need to think outside the box when it comes to upgrading their attack, since so much money will need to be spent overhauling a defense and midfield that have been woeful for far too long.
Gudmundsson is an economical addition with a different skill set to the current standouts, and he could help the likes of Marcus Rashford shine with his all-around ability and creativity.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.