Searching for new striker, Manchester United target striker who becomes Mbappe rival in France national team

Manchester United's forward line seems to be facing serious problems next season. Their two forward midfielders are likely to leave Old Trafford at the end of the 2025/2026 season, leaving the team to find a solution quickly.

Rasmus Hojlund is currently on loan to Napoli and is almost certain to move to that Serie A club permanently. Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to get playing time and is reportedly set to leave this January.

This situation has greatly reduced the Red Devils' reserves of midfield attackers. While Benjamin Sesco is certainly starting to show promising performances, he's pretty much the only pure forward in Ruben Amorim's current lineup.

Manchester United does already have Mateusz Cunha, but he is not a pure midfield forward. Meanwhile, Chido Obi is still too young. According to reports, Manchester United would prefer to bring in an experienced striker who has proven himself in the Premier League.

Manchester United is interested in Mata

According to the latest report from Sportsmole, Manchester United is considering introducing Mata in the 2026 summer transfer window.

Manchester United have previously been linked with Matteo Retegui. However, Matea's name is reportedly on the target list again and he has just been called up to the France national team to compete with Kylian Mbappe.

It is said that Palace will release Matat if they receive an offer of approximately 43 million pounds. This number is believed to be in line with the striker's performances and contributions in recent seasons.

For Mateta, the opportunity to join Manchester United could be a major step in his career. He also doesn't rule out finding a challenge at the highest level. "It's understandable, every aspiring player wants to reach that historic milestone," Mateta told RMC Sport. "Especially when you join the national team and you are surrounded by players who have only played in the Champions League, players who have won the biggest trophies."

Mathata's achievements with Palace

Mathata has become one of the most consistent players in the Crystal Palace team in recent seasons. The 28-year-old striker has made 164 appearances in all competitions since joining in 2022, scoring 50 goals and providing 11 assists.

Looking at these numbers, 40 goals and 9 assists came from the Premier League. In fact, in the last two full seasons, he has scored a total of 30 goals in the league - a result that makes him the most efficient goalscorer outside the top six clubs.

This season, Mateta once again showed his acumen by scoring 4 goals in the first 12 games of the league. This solid form also earned him a place in the France national team, and he also scored his first international goal against Iceland on Monday night.

In addition to his outstanding performance in front of goal, Mateta also successfully contributed two trophies to Crystal Palace, including the FA Cup last season. With such an achievement, his chances of participating in the World Cup in the summer are greatly increased, and it also increases his chances of moving to clubs such as Manchester United.