In years gone by, a move to Manchester United would represent the peak of any striker’s career.

The opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo in lighting up the Old Trafford turf would be turned down by few. 

But the Red Devils’ 15th place finish last season, their worst since they were relegated to the second tier in 1974, means they won’t be competing in any European competition next campaign for just the second time in 35 years. 

Even with a healthy transfer kitty, the Red Devils are no longer able to attract the world’s hottest talent.

They have chased prolific Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 times in 52 appearances for Sporting Lisbon last season, but the forward is intent on a move to Champions League qualified Arsenal, snubbing a reunion with Ruben Amorim – the man who signed him from Championship club Coventry two seasons ago. 

Moise Kean scored 25 goals in 44 appearances, including 38 starts, last season for Fiorentina

Nkunku scored 14 goals for the west Londoners last season, seven in the Conference League

Dusan Vlahovic scored 16 goals for Juventus last season, working out at one every 61 minutes

Yet, United have still signed top talent in recent years and beat Arsenal and Aston Villa to scoop £62.5million Brazil international Cunha at the beginning of the month.

Amorim’s side have now submitted a second bid, in excess of £60m, for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo – who is said to prefer a move to Manchester in favour of Europa League winners Tottenham.

But they remain in dire need of a new No 9, having scored a record low 44 goal in 38 Premier League matches last campaign.

Rasmus Hojlund went 21 games without a goal last season and has never seriously looked good value for his £72m price tag.

While Joshua Zirkzee recovered from being booed and jeered by the Old Trafford faithful in December, a return of seven goals in 49 appearances last season hardly makes impressive reading.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho all on the way out, and United’s striker shortlist appears to have narrowed to just three stars, Moise Kean, Dusan Vlahovic and Christopher Nkunku.

Fiorentina’s Kean is already well known to English fans after his four-year stint at Everton, albeit with three years on loan at Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. 

Once one of Europe’s most highly rated attackers, the Toffees signed the Italian aged 19 for a hefty £25m six years ago.

Ruben Amorim is desperately trying to bolster his Man United squad after they finished 15th

Hojlund went 21 games without scoring last season and United are searching for a replacement

They have chased prolific Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres but he favours a move to Arsenal

Hopes were high for the striker who was fast tracked into Italy’s senior team by Roberto Mancini and he became the second youngest scorer in the country’s history. 

But his move to Goodison didn’t work out, netting just two Premier League goals in 32 games.

Reflecting on his time in the North West, he told The Athletic: ‘I went there expecting to play a bit more. I was 19. I joined from Juve and thought I was going to smash it. 

‘Unfortunately, it didn’t go like that. We went through three coaches that year and mentally… it was all new for me. I was in England, it was a new environment.’

‘They were so used to not seeing the sun, they were barbecuing on the beach in winter,’ he added,

‘They were in short sleeves in winter. I said to myself: ‘These people are out of their minds’. But England made me learn a lot about myself.’ 

But the 25-year-old is back on Premier League club’s radars after a fruitful season, where he scored 25 goals in 44 matches in all competitions.

In 38 starts, six games off the bench, he took just 80 minutes on average to find the back of the net, adding three assists.   

Kean spent four years at Everton but was loaned to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain for three

Christopher Nkunku netted 70 goals and 55 assists in 172 appearances while at RB Leipzig

Another swap deal for United could see Vlahovic switch places with United outcast Sancho 

Last season he had a goal conversion rate of 17.1 per cent and a big chance conversion rate of 35.8 per cent as he finished as Serie A’s second top goalscorer.

Despite an productive year for the Italian, Chelsea’s Nkunku boasts a much more prolific goals per minute rate, with the Frenchman scoring every 48 minutes last in 2023/24.

Nkunku moved to Stamford Bridge for £52m in June 2023 but he has struggled with injuries in west London and has failed to earn a starting berth at the Blues.

He is a natural number 10 or second striker, but the 27-year-old has never risen above Cole Palmer in the pecking order.

Indeed, he couldn’t displace Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Maresca has even moved to bring in Liam Delap to bolster his attacking ranks.

A swap deal for Alejandro Garnacho is being touted.

Although he hasn’t set the world on fire at Chelsea, Nkunku’s stats are quietly impressive. 

Last season he scored 14 goals and claimed five assists in just 22 starts, albeit seven strikes came in the Europa Conference League and qualifiers.  

Alejandro Garnacho is set to leave United and angered fans by wearing an Aston Villa shirt

Marcus Rashford was loaned out to Aston Villa in January and is likely to leave Old Trafford

From an average of 1.49 shots per game, much fewer than Kean’s 3.32 or Vlahovic’s 2.6, Nkunku has scored 21.9 per cent of his attempts and 38.7 per cent of his big chances – by far the highest of the trio.

Nevertheless, a mere three Premier League goals last season proves he is not quite the same player he was at RB Leipzig, where he netted 70 goals and 55 assists in 172 appearances, to earn admirers across Europe’s top clubs. 

Meanwhile, another swap deal for United could see Vlahovic switch places with United outcast Jadon Sancho. 

The Serbia striker joined joined Juventus in a €70m (£60m) move from Fiorentina in 2022, turning down Arsenal in the process.

‘Maybe my agent knows [about Arsenal’s offer] but I never talked to anyone about it,’ Vlahovic told The Telegraph three years ago. ‘I just had one club in my mind because Juventus is Juventus. There is nothing else to say. ‘And now I feel honoured to be given this jersey.’

A Premier League move, this time to the red of Manchester, could now be on the cards for the forward who has scored 57 times in 144 games for the Turin outfit.

Antony excelled at Betis but had a miserable time at United and will likely leave this summer

Jadon Sancho is set to leave United and has been linked with a swap deal for Dusan Vlahovic

Last season, he scored 16 times and claimed five assists 43 appearances, 30 of which were starts.

Although he scored every 61 minutes, his goal conversion and big chance conversion rates, at 14.3 per cent and 33.3 per cent respectively, lag behind Kean and Nkunku.  

But the 25-year-old, who sees his contract run out in 12 months, has proven he can be a big game player, scoring the winner and only goal of the game as Juventus beat Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final last year. 

That alone could persuade United bosses into making a move, as they desperately look to improve their squad over summer.