Manchester United are set to rival Arsenal for the signing of Gent striker Jonathan David with both clubs having held exploratory talks with the player’s agent.
Mikel Arteta’s need for a new striker will intensify should either of this two most experienced forwards, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, depart this summer.
The Gabon international has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract and although agreeing a new deal for last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner is the top priority for Arteta, there are no guarantees he will sign, potentially forcing Arsenal to sell at a discount price.
Lacazette, meanwhile, lost his place to youngster Eddie Nketiah before the season was suspended and could be used as a possible makeweight in any attempt to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
Arsenal have regularly scouted 20-year-old David this season and according to HLN they have held initial talks with the forward’s agent Nick Mavromaras.
Genk are said to have no intention of selling their prize asset on the cheap and it has previously been reported that a fee of around £17.5million could tempt them into selling.
United’s need for a striker is not as great as Arsenal’s with Odion Ighalo having filled a temporary hole during his loan spell, while Marcus Rashford has shouldered the goalscoring burden following last summer’s departure of Romelu Lukaku.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen not to disrupt the progress of Mason Greenwood, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions during a stellar breakthrough campaign, but the Norwegian did aggressively pursue a move for his compatriot Erling Haaland in January.
Borussia Dortmund ultimately won the race to sign the prolific striker but United’s priorities this summer lie elsewhere with Haaland’s current teammate, Jadon Sancho, their top priority.
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