Three strikers Manchester United could target in January

Bengaluru, October 1: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted Manchester United will prioritise the signing of a striker in the January transfer window after failing to bolster his options in the summer.

While an open statement was not expected, the Red Devils' dire need for a new number nine is quite evident after looking at their performances so far.

Solskjaer sanctioned the sale of both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez but he was unable to sign another attacking player after landing 21-year-old Daniel James from Swansea City. They are now short of options in attack following an injury to Anthony Martial.

The club are struggling to attract top talent without Champions League football for the third time in the seventh season since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Ferguson was never shy of bringing in a player as a short-term option, or to back-up what he already had and in January, his disciple Solskjaer might need to do the same.

So, now let us discuss about three strikers who the Red Devils could move for in order to overcome the striker crisis.

Mario Mandzukic - Juventus

The Croatian striker has been left out by Juventus from their Champions League squad by their new boss Maurizio Sarri meaning that both the player and the club could be open for a move. Juventus might be ready to offload the former Bayern man on the cheap and the Red Devils should pounce on the situation.

The 33-year-old is a seasoned professional across Europe and is a lethal goalscorer. With 135 goals to his name for Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich, Atletico and Juve, he has a proven track record of scoring in the Champions League and Europe's top divisions and could well be the answer to Manchester United's problems.

Moussa Dembele - Lyon

The former Celtic striker is having a time with Olympique Lyonnais since his move from Celtic with 15 goals in 33 games. He also has nine goals in 28 Champions League games to his name which is quite impressive considering more than half of those games were for Celtic.

At Celtic, he was quite phenomenal and is showing his true worth now getting back to his homeland. A move to Manchester United would be a great step up for him and the club need players exactly like him who have a lot of hunger in themselves and are young with a high ceiling.

Callum Wilson - Bournemouth

The 27-year-old Bournemouth star striker would be a no-nonsense choice by Solskjaer. He is proven in English football. Despite being hit by injuries often, he has always delivered whenever he has been fit and has been a consistent performer this campaign and to be fair, he is one of the most underrated players in the English top division.

The former Tamworth and Kettering forward rose through the divisions and got his Football League break at Coventry before Eddie Howe took him to the South Coast. A move to Manchester United would be a dream one for the player who is also at the right age for a big move even though he might cost the Red Devils a handsome amount.