3 strikers Carrick should immediately sign for Manchester United

Michael Carrick Signings That Could Reshape United’s Striker Options

Michael Carrick has done something most Manchester United fans stopped believing was possible this season. He took charge of a club drifting in seventh place, won 11 of his next 16 Premier League matches, and secured Champions League football. INEOS rewarded him with a permanent two-year contract on 22 May 2026, and now the serious business of building a squad begins. Michael Carrick signings in the attacking third will define whether this new era delivers on its early promise.

Benjamin Sesko leads the line admirably, but Joshua Zirkzee has struggled badly since his £74 million arrival, scoring just nine times in 74 appearances. United need at least one more striker of genuine quality, and with Champions League football back at Old Trafford next season, the calibre of player available has grown considerably.

1. Dusan Vlahovic (Free Agent, Previously Juventus)

Michael Carrick signings rarely come better timed than this one. Dusan Vlahovic will leave Juventus as a free agent at the end of June 2026 after contract negotiations in Turin collapsed completely. The 26-year-old reportedly demanded around £9 million net per year while Juventus stretched only to £7.1 million, and that gap proved insurmountable.

Despite the off-field noise in Turin, Vlahovic still managed seven goals in 19 Serie A appearances last season and finished his Juventus career with 68 goals across 168 matches. He offers everything Zirkzee does not: aerial dominance, physical presence, and an instinct for the penalty area. Crucially, he would provide genuine competition for Sesko rather than simply complement him. The free transfer element makes this a straightforward decision for INEOS.

2. Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)

Few strikers in world football carry the same transformative reputation as Osimhen. Since moving permanently to Galatasaray for €75 million in summer 2025, the 27-year-old Nigerian has been directly involved in 76 goals across 75 appearances and helped the Turkish giants win back-to-back Süper Lig titles. He wants the Premier League, former PSG defender Godwin Okpara publicly advocated for Manchester United as his ideal destination, and multiple reports confirm United view him as their dream option.

Galatasaray will not sell cheaply, with a fee between €120 million and €140 million reportedly required. That price would stretch the budget, but Carrick’s side finished third in the Premier League this season and need a striker who can carry them into genuine title contention. Osimhen brings pace, power, and goals in abundance, exactly the profile Old Trafford has craved since the peak years of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Also read: Man Utd close to completing £38m transfer signing – Carrick would be happy

3. Robert Lewandowski (Free Agent, Previously Barcelona)

Rio Ferdinand publicly urged Manchester United to pursue Lewandowski after the Polish legend posted a farewell video to Barcelona following confirmation his contract will not be renewed. At 37, Lewandowski is no long-term solution, but he averages a goal involvement every 50 minutes and still scores consistently despite Hansi Flick carefully managing his minutes across 40 appearances this term.

A short-term deal for Lewandowski serves a clear purpose. He mentors Sesko, provides reliable cover during a Champions League campaign, and brings 629 senior career goals worth of experience into a dressing room that still lacks genuine winners. The fee is zero. The argument against is age, but the argument for is everything else.

Also read: Man Utd lead race to sign £80m Arsenal transfer target

Carrick has earned the trust of the Old Trafford faithful through results, not words. Delivering even one of these three Michael Carrick signings would signal that the rebuild under INEOS has genuinely shifted gear.