The Manchester United roster rebuild is in full swing and following reports that the Red Devils will soon welcome the arrival of striker Mario Mandzukic, club boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains on the hunt for a second forward addition. The new recruits will take the place of Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku, both of whom exited the team last summer.
However, before embarking on the mission to acquire another forward for the Reds, reports have indicated that Solskjaer is on the brink of luring Mandzukic out of Juventus. The Sun said the Croatian has cut his asking price to £150,000 a week, and the numbers seemed to work for United now.
In the last summer transfer window, United made a move on the Juventus star, but his price tag of £300,000 per week proved too much for the English club.
It appeared that Mandzukic has plans to jump from Italy to England, so he made the decision to make the transfer easier. Per the same report, representatives of the Croatian and United are now in discussions to finalize a deal.
"His reps have been in contact and are willing to change their demands. There will be other bonuses factored into the deal. It looks like one that could get done now," the report from The Sun quoted an unidentified source from Old Trafford was saying.
The deal finally getting sealed will serve to support Solskjaer's vision for an overhauled Reds lineup. The Norwegian manager had earlier stated that he would want to see creativity boosted at United, which he will make happen by bringing in prolific goalscorers.
"He [Mandzukic] is someone we have wanted for a number of years. His experience could prove vital for the younger players in the squad. He is also a proven goalscorer," the same United insider said.
The entry of the Croatian striker will not be the last though for United's aim of creating a solid strike force as Metro reported that Solskjaer is still on the lookout for a second forward. It is understood that this new hire is slated for the January transfer window.
In this respect, no specific names have been leaked out from the Red camp, but the Mirror said there were at least four names believed to be on the shortlist drawn by Solskjaer.
The report identified the targeted attackers as Moussa Dembele, Jadon Sancho, Timo Werner, and James Maddison - all seem to fit the qualities laid out by Solskjaer as core requirements by United for fresh recruits. The forwards mentioned have been proven as scorers with a touch of creativity.
