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Three possible Cristiano Ronaldo replacements for Manchester United

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 27 July 2022

Three possible Cristiano Ronaldo replacements for Man United

Sports Mole looks at three strikers Manchester United could sign if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club before the end of the transfer window.

Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United's Carrington training complex this week to hold discussions over his future at the club.

The Red Devils continue to insist that the Portugal international will not be leaving Old Trafford this summer, but the 37-year-old is still believed to be pushing for an exit.

Something will have to give over the next few weeks, as Man United will not want the situation to overshadow their start to the 2022-23 Premier League.

Ronaldo, as it stands, appears likely to remain, but it is a fast moving situation, and it would certainly not be a shock to see the forward depart before the end of the transfer window.

With that in mind, Sports Mole picks out three forwards that could replace Ronaldo at Old Trafford this summer.

Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco)

Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder pictured in November 2021 © Reuters

Wissam Ben Yedder has recently been linked with a move to Man United, and it is not too difficult to understand why he would be of interest to the club as a replacement for Ronaldo considering his goal record.

Ben Yedder scored 71 goals and registered 22 assists in 174 appearances for Toulouse in all competitions, while he managed 70 goals and 22 assists in his 138 outings for Sevilla between 2016 and 2019 before making the move to Monaco.

The 31-year-old has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis for his principality outfit, scoring 73 goals and registered 25 assists in 124 outings, while his overall professional record is 214 goals and 69 assists in 436 appearances.

Ben Yedder enjoyed the best scoring season of his professional career last term, finding the back of the net on 32 occasions in 52 appearances, in addition to registering seven assists, with 25 of those strikes coming in France's top flight.

The France international does not have experience of playing for what could be considered a major European powerhouse, but he has proved himself at the top level of both Spain and France, while he was a regular goalscorer in Europe during his time at Sevilla.

Memphis Depay (Barcelona)

Memphis Depay in action for Barcelona in March 2022 © Reuters

Barcelona are believed to have made Memphis Depay available for transfer this summer, with the Catalan outfit signing Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha to boost their attack for next season.

Memphis only has 11 months left to run on his contract at Camp Nou, but he enjoyed a productive first season at the club despite some injury problems, scoring 13 times and registering two assists in 37 appearances.

The 28-year-old previously represented Man United between 2015 and 2017, managing only seven goals and six assists in 53 games for the club, but he has grown as a player since then, enjoying a strong spell with Lyon before making the move to Barcelona on a free transfer.

Memphis played a lot of football as a centre-forward in recent years, including last season at Barcelona, while he often operates at the head of the attack for the Netherlands, boasting a record of 42 goals in 80 appearances for his country.

There have been claims that the attacker could be available for as little as £20m this summer, which would surely make him an attractive proposition for Man United, and he would arrive with a point to prove.

Memphis is, arguably, only just reaching the peak of his career, and he could thrive under the leadership of Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Benjamin Sesko (Red Bull Salzburg)

Slovenia forward Benjamin Sesko pictured in June 2022 © Reuters

Benjamin Sesko's future is currently the subject of much speculation, with Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently reporting that Man United are keen on the Slovenia international.

Despite only turning 19 at the end of May, Sesko has a record of 13 goals in 40 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg, including 11 goals during a breakthrough 2021-22 campaign.

The teenager is already off the mark for the new campaign, scoring twice and providing one assist in two appearances, including a goal and an assist in Salzburg's Austrian Bundesliga season opener against Austria Vienna last week.

The 6ft 4in striker still has another four years left to run on his contract at his current club, placing them in a strong position when it comes to keep hold of him.

However, the interest in the centre-forward is seemingly growing due to his development, and Man United might need to move now if they are to sign the two-time Austrian Bundesliga title winner, who holds the record for Slovakia's youngest debutant and also their youngest goalscorer.