Andy Cole has urged Manchester United to forget about signing England captain Harry Kane.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker, who has little over one year left on his current deal, is United's top target this summer. Manchester City wanted to sign Kane in 2021 but he stayed in north London.
United's need for a new striker is clear. While Wout Weghorst has plugged a gap up front, the 30-year-old is yet to score a league goal and Erik ten Hag does not view him as the long-term answer to his striker problems.
Also read: Ten Hag will have to get creative with his Cup final XI
Signing Kane would appear a no-brainer to most United supporters. However, former frontman Cole has claimed the Reds need to sign someone younger.
“Manchester United can’t go with a short-term solution again,” he told William Hill. “They can’t go and spend £100million on Harry Kane. In two years they’ll turn around and say to themselves, ‘he’s 32, we need to get ourselves another striker’. They can’t afford to find themselves in that position again.
“When you look at the recognised strikers that Manchester United have had, you look at the likes of Robin van Persie. But the crazy thing is that he only stayed for two years and ever since then it has just been one after another for two years.
“A football club like Manchester United cannot just keep having different strikers for two years at a time, it’s ridiculous. They know now that they have to sign someone who is going to give them five years.”
Cole namechecked Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as the man he wants to lead the line for United. At 24, the Nigerian is five years younger than Kane but has never played in the Premier League.
“I like Victor Osimhen,” he added. “If he came to Manchester United, the way I’ve seen him play for Napoli, he could do it at Manchester United.
“He’s strong, he’s physical, he can stretch the team and run in behind, he can score from wide areas, headers, crosses, he’s got good feet. He’s got it all. When it comes to numbers, it all depends on whether you’ve got the numbers to justify the money because if you buy him for £120million that’s your budget gone.”
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