Gyokeres transfer, £60m chase – Manchester United’s dream line-up with three new signings

Man United’s strongest starting XI could have a completely new look if this summer’s transfer window goes as well as they hope.

The summer transfer window will temporarily close at 7pm on Tuesday evening, meaning Manchester United will be able to take stock of the steady progress they have made so far.

The new Club World Cup format meant the window opened earlier than usual. It will reopen again next Monday and will remain open until September 1.

United wasted no time in making their mark on this summer’s window, announcing the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves just 14 hours after the window had officially opened on June 1. He has arrived at Old Trafford after United activated his £62.5million release clause.

Although no new arrivals are expected before Tuesday’s deadline, that is not to say United’s decision makers are going to spend the next few days with their feet up waiting for the window to reopen. In fact, they will be doing quite the opposite.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News last week, United registered their interest in Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and submitted an opening offer of £55m that was knocked back.

United offered £45m up front and an additional £10m in add-ons. It is thought Brentford are holding out for a similar fee to the one United paid for Cunha, meaning it could take a fee in the region of £60m to reach an agreement.

But if United are successful in their pursuit of the Cameroonian and successfully lure him to Old Trafford, the expectation is he will occupy the right-sided No.10 berth. Cunha is expected to operate from the left-sided No.10 role.

The prospect of Mbeumo and Cunha occupying the two spots reserved for the playmakers means both Bruno Fernandes and Amad are set to be deployed elsewhere. Fortunately, they are both versatile enough to play in the centre of midfield and at right wing-back respectively.

United need to add goals to a blunt attack and Cunha and Mbeumo would do just that after scoring 35 goals between them in the Premier League in 2024/25. For context, United scored just 44.

As fantastic and as exciting as it would be for United to add Mbeumo to the signing of Cunha, they are still without the No.9 they so desperately crave. United have been linked with plenty of strikers in recent months, but the one name that has not gone away at any point is that of Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede is currently one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe after scoring 97 goals in 102 games in two seasons at Sporting Lisbon. It was reported by Sky Sports on Monday that United have ‘made an initial approach’ to sign the 27-year-old.

United’s key to signing any elite-level striker this summer is via player sales. The prospect of them signing Mbeumo for around £60m before sanctioning any sales will almost certainly wipe out their entire budget.

However, failing to sign a striker is a non-negotiable this summer. They are crying out for a reliable goalscorer and they simply have to buy one.

In Gyokeres, United would be signing an established goal-getter whose numbers are just as eye-catching as Erling Haaland’s have been in recent seasons. For all the talk about doing it in the Portuguese top flight, which, with respect, is not considered to be as demanding or as challenging as the Premier League, you can only judge a striker on his goals – and Gyokeres has scored a lot of them in the last two years.

The prospect of United signing him and Mbeumo to join forces with Cunha in attack is exciting. Truthfully, it was fanciful only a few weeks ago.

However, both Cunha and Mbeumo have expressed an eagerness to move to Old Trafford, highlighting the fact United still have plenty of pulling power.

The midfield needs strengthening and there is a debate about whether Andre Onana should continue as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. However, right now, strengthening the attack is a far bigger priority. Three attacking signings could make the world of difference.

United’s dream XI: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Heaven; Amad, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Gyokeres.