Manchester United Eye Alexander Sorloth Before Transfer Deadline
Manchester United have been handed the chance to move for Alexander Sorloth as the club scrambles to add firepower before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday.
Having already splashed £70million on Carlos Baleba from Brighton, United’s recruitment team has turned to the top end of the pitch and the left side of defence. Michael Carrick wants a backup centre-forward to replace Joshua Zirkzee and fresh competition for Luke Shaw at left-back as the clock ticks down.
Zirkzee, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, has given the green light to a return to Serie A with Fiorentina. The Italian club have sent United a loan proposal that includes an option to buy next summer, a deal that would leave Carrick light through the middle if United do not react quickly.
They have already sounded out Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic and Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is keen to leave Selhurst Park. Both fit the brief as physical options who can step in behind Benjamin Sesko.
Now another name has entered the frame.
Sorloth put on the table
As reported by TEAMtalk, intermediaries have offered United the chance to sign Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth. The 6ft 5in Norwegian has built a reputation as a classic No 9, with 175 goals in 475 senior appearances – the kind of penalty-box presence United currently lack behind Sesko.
Those close to the situation say Sorloth is open to leaving Atleti and would welcome a return to the Premier League. His last spell in England, with Crystal Palace between January 2018 and September 2020, never really ignited. He managed just 20 appearances for the Eagles as loan spells at Gent and Trabzonspor took him away from London.
A move to Old Trafford would offer a very different stage and a second shot at English football, this time with the weight of a club built on centre-forwards who dominate the box.
From United’s perspective, Sorloth fits the profile they are chasing: an out-and-out striker who can push Sesko, cover for him across a long season and give Carrick a more direct option when games tighten.
Atletico’s stance and the wider market
Atletico are prepared to let Sorloth go for the right price. His contract runs until June 2028, so there is no pressure to sell, but Diego Simeone’s side want a replacement lined up before sanctioning any exit.
They are weighing up moves for Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus and Juventus forward Jonathan David as potential successors, a sign that Atleti are braced for movement in their attacking department.
The situation unfolds against a backdrop of tension at the club. Barcelona and Arsenal are both tracking Sorloth’s team-mate Julian Alvarez, but Atletico insist the forward is not for sale. Alvarez has publicly declared his desire to leave, a stance that has infuriated sections of the Atleti fanbase and only heightened the sense of flux around Simeone’s frontline.
United’s late-window dilemma
Inside Old Trafford, there is an acceptance that the squad still looks light up front if Zirkzee departs without a replacement. Speaking on the Talk of the Devils podcast, Laurie Whitwell underlined the likely route United will take.
“Loan is what I have heard in terms of incoming,” he said, pointing to a pragmatic approach in the final days of the window.
Andy Mitten echoed that sense of urgency without certainty. “Will we see new players come in? I think it’s increasing, I think it’s a possibility. I don’t know if the player would be signed or loaned. If you lose a striker, United look light up top.”
That is the crux of it. With time running out and options narrowing, United must decide whether Sorloth is simply one name among many, or the towering No 9 who steps in to carry part of the load behind Sesko as the season starts to bite.
