Lukaku or Morata for Manchester United?
Manchester United are gearing up in what has so far been a frustrating transfer campaign as Jose Mourinho appears to be pressuring the club management into boosting the squad during summer.
Manchester United in Need of a Striker
Having only brought Victor Lindelof this summer, Manchester United boss is expected to add some fresh blood to his forward line as the Red Devils look for replacements for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney who is on the verge of re-joining his boyhood club Everton.
And after months of speculation that got almost every big-name striker connected to the Old Trafford club, there are the two players who appear to have been pinpointed as the most likely arrivals. Manchester United appear to be split between Everton frontman Romelu Lukaku and Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata while contrasting reports regarding these two players and their prospective Manchester United futures appear hourly.
The latest news on the British Isles have claimed that United have dropped their interest in Morata and submitted a mega-money offer for Lukaku, but Everton officials have since then denied such claims and the rumour mill is once again spinning in full force.
As we await the plot to be untangled, let us take a closer look at both players and see which one of the two strikers would be a better fit over at Manchester United.
Romelu Lukaku
The undisputed star of the mid-table side Everton, who are enjoying quite a revolution this summer with plenty of sound names arriving at Goodison, Belgian international Romelu Lukaku is a robust frontman.
Once dubbed the next Didier Drogba, the 24-year-old forward is entering his peak years and the time when he is expected to finally reach his full potential. The 2016/17 season was one of his finest campaigns to date. The 25 Premier League goals helped Lukaku finish second to Harry Kane in the running for the Golden Boot and the striker now set his sights on a brighter stage and a side that would make better use of his potential and quality.
A physically dominant player, Lukaku is a major threat inside the box but his tendency to go missing in the big games and choke under the pressure has been following him throughout his career thus far.
Additionally, there is a question of how a player like Lukaku would fit in Jose Mourinho’s team and style of play and that he only brings a limited set of options. Strong on the ball and dynamic with possession, however, Lukaku is a natural frontman who can build up plays from inside the final third and around the box and that’s one of his most prized traits.
The Belgium international is hard to contain and keep quiet and could add an extra power to United’s attacking line which has gone missing with Ibrahimovic leaving the Old Trafford.
Alvaro Morata
The Spanish striker is also heading into the best age for a striker. Being 24 himself, Alvaro Morata is looking for a change of scenery that would allow him to ditch the supporting role he performed last season and make him the main act.
Having been a squad player for both Real Madrid and Juventus, Alvaro Morata is boasting a fantastic goal per minutes played ratio, however, scoring once in every 90 minutes.
Alvaro Morata is a more versatile option than Romelu Lukaku as he brings flair and more distinguished technical ability together with his killer instinct. The numbers work in Morata’s favour and paint a clear picture that the Spaniard is not only scoring goals but is creating chances for teammates.
With his scoring proficiency highlighted, Alvaro Morata could be an ideal signing for United who created plenty of chances last season but took few of them. Morata ended the season with 15 goals to his name but in fewer games than Lukaku. Four assists during that time are inconsiderably lower than Lukaku’s 6 as well.
Morata’s ability to perform well on the biggest stage and when it is most needed has been one of his biggest attributes and could provide a deeper insight into his potential to develop into a key man for the Red Devils.
Who to Go for?
It might be my personal assessment, but I will use it to conclude this little comparative anyway, Alvaro Morata seems like a better choice for Manchester United as it would provide Red Devils with more different options upfront.
Romelu Lukaku is undeniably a big player and a quality striker, but also the footballer who at times struggles with mental aspect of the game and seemingly – once again in my own opinion – lacks the ability to make that transition from being a top class player at a mid-class side to becoming a superstar striker the world thought he would become back in 2011 when he first arrived in England.
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