(Football news) Though Benjamin Sesko, a highly sought-after center-forward who was also strongly linked to Arsenal, signed a new contract with his German club, the 20-time English champions were not the only team to have their eye on him.
Because Anthony Martial will officially depart on a free transfer on June 30, Manchester United is keen to add a new striker to their roster this summer in an attempt to compete with Rasmus Hojlund.
Toney, an England international, is reportedly expected to leave Brentford during the summer transfer window, and ESPN reports that the English powerhouses are still interested in signing him.
Meanwhile, Bologna’s Zirkzee, who was linked with a switch to Old Trafford in January, and Lille’s David are also allegedly being monitored by Erik ten Hag’s team.
Toney likely to be the most expensive of the trio
Toney only has 12 months left to run on his contract with Brentford, but it is understood that the Bees value him in the region of £50m.
Zirkzee, though, has a £34m release clause in his current deal, while it could cost a similar amount to bring in David, as the Canada international is out of contract next year.
Arsenal had been heavily linked with Toney earlier this year, but the Gunners have seemingly dropped their interest in the 28-year-old, who is currently with the England squad preparing for Euro 2024.
After returning from a betting-related suspension, Toney scored four times and registered two assists in 17 Premier League appearances last season.
Zirkzee, meanwhile, managed 12 goals and seven assists in 37 appearances for Bologna in 2023-24, and the presence of an affordable release clause in his contract makes him an interesting option.
David ‘being monitored by Manchester United’
David’s future has been the subject of much speculation over the last year or so, with Lille widely expected to let him leave this summer due to his contract situation.
The 24-year-old scored 26 goals and registered nine assists in 47 appearances for his French club during the 2023-24 campaign, while he has 84 goals and 18 assists in 183 matches for Les Dogues.
David has gained Champions League experience during his time at Lille, scoring three goals in eight appearances in the competition.
Meanwhile, the Canadian helped his side win the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21 after making the move from Gent, where he managed 37 goals and 15 assists in 83 appearances.
Manchester United are also expected to bring in a new centre-back and central midfielder this summer, with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Benfica’s Joao Neves said to be their leading targets in the two positions.
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