In news that came as little surprise to anyone, Manchester United recently announced the departure of January loan arrival, Wout Weghorst, with it looking unlikely that the towering Dutchman will be making a return to Old Trafford on a permanent deal any time soon.

Having been signed to help provide Erik ten Hag's side with further firepower following the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Burnley giant went on to score just twice in 31 games in all competitions in the second half of last sesson, with arguably his most telling contribution seeing him provide an assist for Marcus Rashford in Febuary's Carabao Cup final triumph.

With the 30-year-old's inevitable exit now leaving injury-prone asset Anthony Martial – who made just 29 appearances last term – as the Red Devils' only senior out-and-out striker, it is no surprise that the signing of a new centre-forward remains the "priority" for Ten Hag, according to The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell.

One potential target that has been suggested of late is Juventus powerhouse, Dusan Vlahovic, with reports in Italy claiming that the Old Trafford outfit have made contact with the Serbian's agent regarding a possible summer swoop.

The former Fiorentina ace – who only made the move to Turin on a £66.6m deal back in January 2022 – was reportedly the subject of a £70m bid from Chelsea earlier in the window, with a move away from the Allianz Stadium potentially on the cards.

The 23-year-old – who has scored 72 goals in 171 games during his time in Italy to date – could well be the striking "monster" that United are craving, as hailed by journalist Carlo Garganese, helping to ensure an end to the club's current centre-forward woes.

Intriguingly, the 6 foot 3 ace has previously been described as the 'new Zlatan Ibrahmovic', with the hope being that the Belgrade native can replicate the impact that the enigmatic marksman had at the Theatre of Dreams.

How good was Ibrahimovic at Man United?

Also a towering presence like United's current target, the 6 foot 5 Swede was snapped up on a free transfer during Jose Mourinho's first summer in charge back in 2016, having previously enjoyed a glittering career prior to that at the likes of Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as with Vlahovic's current side, Juve.

Despite having been 34 at the time of his arrival in England, the recently-retired hitman proved an instant hit in his new surroundings, scoring on debut to clinch victory over Leicester City in the Community Shield.

While an ACL blow would ultimately curtail his impact in Mourinho's side late on in that 2016/17 campaign, the Malmo-born menace still managed to rack up a stellar haul of 28 goals and ten assists in 44 outings, before netting once more the following season after making a brief return from injury.

Not only was Ibrahimovic an undoubtedly clinical presence when leading the line, but in his own words he was also something of an "animal", utilising his imposing frame to bully defenders and make a real nuisance of himself through the middle.

Much like the ex-AC Milan man – who Mourinho lauded as a "fighter" – Vlahovic also appears to possess remarkable strength and power in attack, with the aforementioned Garganase stating it is "scary how strong he is" as he "fights three defenders at a time".

For United to again have a real focal point in the side who can also deliver the goods in front of goal would surely be a dream, with the hope being that the Juve star can follow in Ibrahimovic's footsteps and make a smooth transition to life at United.