With Erik ten Hag in charge, Manchester United has clearly made significant strides this season, winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League thanks to a third-place result.

That success—which may be increased in Saturday’s FA Cup final—has been achieved despite the Red Devils’ forward line’s flaws. Instead, the team’s new talisman, Marcus Rashford, has largely been responsible for scoring goals on his own, having scored 30 goals across all competitions so far, 17 more than any of his teammates.

Jadon Sancho and summer acquisition Antony, who have scored just seven and eight goals, respectively, across all fronts thus far, have both failed to provide a constant danger on the flanks.

These weaknesses have prompted the search for a new forward addition in front of the upcoming campaign. It is thought that United has already identified a wide range of potential targets to serve as the attack’s spearhead.

According to the Manchester Evening News, one such target who is thought to be liked by Ten Hag is Ajax wonder Mohammed Kudus. The versatile ace, who once worked with the 53-year-old in Amsterdam, is said to have the ability to play either a central or flanking role as needed.

The Ghanaian starlet, who The Athletic estimates to be worth almost £40 million, appears likely to leave the Johan Cruyff Arena this summer, yet there seems to be a good chance that the 22-year-old might reconnect with Ten Hag in Manchester.

Must Man United acquire Kudus?

While the former Nordsjaelland player might provide United’s center-forward problems a potential answer, the adaptable ace might also be an improvement over the available choices on the flanks, helping to provide fierce competition for the aforementioned Antony on the right side.

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Despite Ajax’s overall struggles, Kudus, a left-footer like his former teammate, had a standout season in the Netherlands, scoring 18 goals and dishing out six assists in 42 games across all competitions.

In just six Champions League outings, the 5-foot-9 speedster has contributed to six goals, demonstrating his ability to make a difference at the highest level.

Kudus, a 23-cap international, is “much better than Antony,” according to Dutch legend Marco van Basten. The Brazilian trickster for Man United also helped six goals in seven Champions League appearances for Ajax in 2021–2022, but Kudus is “smarter and more technical” than his former teammate.

Kudus, who Van Basten also called “more fun to watch,” seems to have a better aptitude for cruising past opponents. According to FBref, he has averaged 4.57 successful take-ons per 90 over the last 365 days, while Antony has averaged just 1.63.

Although Van Basten’s boasts and his statistical brilliance would seem to suggest that Kudus can be an upgrade over the £200k per week enigma, Kudus may yet follow in the latter man’s footsteps and struggle to adjust to life in England.