Man Utd and Chelsea make approach to sign £43m Barcelona transfer target

Manchester United and Chelsea have expressed interest in signing a new striker before the end of the summer transfer window.

Man United’s dismal opening-day defeat to newly-promoted Hull City could spark the club into transfer action before the summer window closes on September 3.

Virtually all of United’s focus so far this summer has been on midfield reinforcements, with Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos completing moves to Old Trafford and Carlos Baleba set to follow suit in a £70m deal from Brighton.

Michael Carrick is also interested in signing a new left-back before the transfer deadline, while several pundits are of the opinion a new striker is needed to support Benjamin Sesko.

£73m signing Sesko was benched for United’s Premier League opener after struggling with a shin injury over the summer, with Matheus Cunha leading the line to little effect.

Owen Hargreaves urged Old Trafford bosses to sign a new striker after the shock defeat to Hull, telling TNT Sports: ‘I think they could probably do with another striker option.

‘I think that showed today, Sesko didn’t start and Cunha played a little bit deeper. He’s a 10, and plays very effective off the left.

‘But I do think with Baleba coming into the team, it is a good squad and it is a top four squad, I just think they were at their best last season counter attacking teams.

‘They were at their best counter attacking teams, remember the first ones, Carrick’s first games against City and Arsenal.

‘Today where they had possession of the ball they didn’t look like scoring. I think it will be easier when the space opens up. Today there wasn’t that.

‘I think they go back to the drawing board and look at what they can do differently.’

Premier League legend Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, said Carrick’s side ‘offered nothing’ going forward against a Hull side who conceded 66 goals in the Championship last season.

‘United were dreadful in all positions, particularly up front. They offered nothing,’ Shearer said on BBC’s Match of the Day.

‘There was only one team going to win. It’s a worrying thing. You know what you are going to get going up against a promoted team. You need to match them.’

While not expected to sign a new striker before the transfer window shuts, Manchester United have made an approach for Nicolo Tresoldi, according to reports in Belgium.

Tresoldi, 22, shot to prominence after scoring 23 goals for Club Brugge last season, including a division-high 19 in the Belgian Pro League.

Barcelona have been heavily linked with Tresoldi, who is viewed as one of the most highly-rated forwards in Europe, having earned 24 caps for the Germany U21 side, scoring 12 goals.

But Barca are currently pursuing other striker targets, giving Manchester United hope of a deal, with Club Brugge wanting between 40m and 50m euros (£34m and £43m) to sanction his exit.

But United are not the only Premier League giant interested, with Chelsea also making an approach to Club Brugge to discuss a possible deal, according to Voetbal.

The Blues could be keen to sign a back-up striker for Joao Pedro as they look to cash in on both Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap.

Jackson is valued at £65m and has attracted interest from Aston Villa and Napoli, while Chelsea want around £50m for Everton and Ipswich Town target Delap.

Chelsea have spent another £430m this summer but 35-year-old Danny Welbeck is the only forward to join Xabi Alonso’s squad.

The Blues begin their Premier League campaign on Monday night with a west London derby against Fulham.

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