Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko are key targets for Manchester United as they contemplate bolstering their attacking options in the current transfer window.
Manchester United's management acknowledges the need to offload some surplus players to finance new acquisitions, a process that might not conclude until close to the September 1 deadline.
Securing either player for a move to Old Trafford presents challenges. Newcastle, having missed several key targets this summer and facing uncertainty over their forward Alexander Isak, have shown interest in the Slovenian Sesko. The 22-year-old netted 13 goals in 33 Bundesliga matches last season.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa has expressed no intention of selling England international Watkins. However, United believes this stance might shift as the deadline approaches, although they deem the suggested £60 million price for the 29-year-old, whose contract extends to 2028, excessively high.
Currently, Rasmus Hojlund, who had a challenging previous season with just 10 goals in 52 games, remains Ruben Amorim's first-choice center forward. Amorim commended the Dane for his performance in the recent 2-1 victory over West Ham at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, noting his use of pace and power, despite a missed opportunity that struck the post.
Despite his efforts, Hojlund has yet to score in two pre-season appearances, with a missed first-half chance eliciting frustration from his manager.
This summer, United has invested nearly £130 million in three new signings: attacking players Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who are expected to fill Amorim's preferred dual number 10 roles, and young defender Diego Leon.
Amorim has expressed a preference for acquiring players with Premier League experience. Rashford's recent transfer to Barcelona, along with the exclusion of unwanted players like Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrrell Malacia from the US tour, underscores the club's current strategy.
Last week, Amorim emphasized that the club would not sell these players cheaply but is open to reintegrating them if necessary.