Manchester United eye Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe as alternatives in Erling Haaland pursuit

Manchester United have placed a watchful eye on Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Tottenham Hotspur stalwart Harry Kane.

According to the Metro, United have compiled a shortlist of three mercurial forwards to help them compete for major trophies next season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to recruit a proven goal-scorer to lead the line at Old Trafford and has identified Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland as his primary target for the summer.

The Norwegian whizz-kid has been in scintillating form since swapping RB Salzburg for Signal Iduna Park in January 2020, establishing himself as one of the most prolific marksmen in Europe’s top-five divisions.

His profile ticks all the boxes for a type of player Solskjaer is looking to complement Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood in the attacking department.

However, if United’s pursuit of Haaland does come a cropper, the Red Devils have a back-up plan to solve their scoring problems.

Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe belongs to a distinguished group of forwards able to go toe-to-toe with Haaland at the moment.

Widely regarded as the future Ballon d’Or contender, the World Cup winner is one of the most sought-after players in Europe.

The French superstar is currently at the top of the scoring leaderboard in Ligue 1, having netted 18 goals in 23 top-flight appearances.

His jaw-dropping performance against Barcelona in the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie highlights how decisive he can be in high-profile fixtures.

But, with several of Europe’s top clubs tracking the player, PSG have tried to ward off suitors by putting a hefty price tag on the 22-year-old’s head.

The reigning French champions are said to be reluctant to let their prized asset leave Parc des Princes and are even ready to sacrifice Neymar to keep Mbappe on board.

On the other hand, Mauricio Pochettino is eager to land United shot-stopper David de Gea.

The Red Devils could use the Spaniard as a makeweight in a deal to bring Mbappe to the Premier League.

Harry Kane

Kane has stuck with Tottenham through thick and thin, but another trophyless campaign could sway him into contemplating his future in the summer.

The England captain has been arguably the best and most consistent striker in the Premier League over the past few years but has no piece of silverware to back his illustrious individual career.

Despite lifting the Premier League Golden Boot award twice and consistently producing over 20 goals per season, the 27-year-old is still desperate to win trophies.

United have demonstrated their ability to cope with Manchester City for the Premier League title this season, and Kane could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

The Spurs talisman has a perfect understanding of English football and could provide the Red Devils a quantum leap in quality that would help them win the first league title in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Kane’s contract in London runs out in 2024, but if he tries to force his way out in the summer, Jose Mourinho could be powerless to stop it.

Article by Marko Vrakela.