Much has been made of the change in regime at Old Trafford of late, although yet again Manchester United head into the final throws of the transfer window with business still to be completed, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.
A deal for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte – aided by the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli – looks to be all but done, yet work remains to try and move on Jadon Sancho over the next 24 hours or so, with the Englishman having been left out for the first two Premier League games of the season.
While unlikely at this stage, there are murmurs that an exit for Sancho could lead to a late attacking addition for the Red Devils, with rumours rife regarding a surprise move for a certain Raheem Sterling.
The Chelsea outcast is not the only Premier League talent that Dan Ashworth and co are looking at, however, amid reports of a late swoop for another England star…
Man Utd's search for a striker
The latest suggestion is that United are in the mix for Brentford's wantaway talisman, Ivan Toney, although according to Football Insider, Erik ten Hag's side could also be ready to make a late move for Everton's number nine, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
As per the report, both the Red Devils and Newcastle United are said to be interested in making a last-gasp swoop for the 27-year-old, with Enzo Maresca's Chelsea also keeping a keen eye on the player amid their own hunt for a striker.
The piece notes that Calvert-Lewin – who was noted as a target for Ten Hag earlier this summer by The Athletic – has rejected multiple contract offers from the Toffees, with just 12 months remaining on his existing deal.
Why Calvert-Lewin would be a good signing
On the face of it, any move for the Goodison hero would appear to be a strange one, particularly considering he has scored just 14 league goals since the start of 2021/22.
There will also be concern over the former Sheffield United man's injury record, yet in fact, he actually completed more minutes in the top flight than Rasmus Hojlund last season (2171 vs 2158), while scoring seven times in 32 outings.
The figurehead of a defensive-minded Everton side, Calvert-Lewin could perhaps thrive in a more attacking set-up, having previously showcased his goalscoring credentials under Carlo Ancelotti, after bagging 29 league goals across 2019/20 and 2020/21.
It is that prior experience in the division that has led talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent to claim that he would represent an "upgrade" on United's current crop of strikers, in the form of Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, with the latter man hardly an out-and-out goalscorer after netting just 12 times for Bologna last season.
Metric (per 90)
DCL
Hojlund
Zirkzee
Games (starts)
32 (26)
30 (25)
34 (32)
Minutes played
2171
2158
2759
Goals
0.29
0.42
0.36
Assists
0.08
0.08
0.13
Progressive carries
1.49
1.50
1.73
Progressive passes
1.29
1.38
2.80
Touches in opposition box
5.15
4.00
4.43
Aerial duels won
5.68
1.04
0.94
What particularly stands out above is just how superior Calvert-Lewin is in the air to United's current pair, while also boasting a greater knack for getting into the attacking penalty area, with his young counterparts seemingly more concerned with getting involved in the build-up.
As Bent noted, on his day the Englishman can be "unplayable" – like he was under Ancelotti – offering a real focal point in attack, perhaps in the mould of what the 6 foot 3 Sebastian Haller provided under Ten Hag at Ajax.
With Zirkzee himself suggesting that he is more of a 'nine and a half' than a true centre-forward – and with Hojlund still "learning the game", as per Paul Scholes – a more experienced, orthodox option could be required.
What Calvert-Lewin – who has scored 54 top-flight goals to date – also boasts is an apparent likeness to a figure of United folklore, with ex-teammate Richarlison stating that he is "like Cristiano Ronaldo", due to his "incredible leap".
As indicated above, Ronaldo in his pomp was a true master in the air, with it some praise for Calvert-Lewin to even be mentioned in the same breath as the Portuguese icon.
That aerial prowess of the Toffees star is seen in the fact that 20 of his league goals have come from headers thus far, further showcasing the penalty-box presence that he can provide at the Theatre of Dreams.
With the likes of Bruno Fernandes – who created the most chances in the top-flight last season – providing Calvert-Lewin with a plethora of openings, perhaps he could return to the version of himself that was so deadly under Ancelotti's watch.
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