Manchester United Eyeing Alexander Sorloth as Striker Options Expand
Alexander Sorloth has been put on Manchester United’s table as a late-window option, with intermediaries offering the Atletico Madrid striker to the club as Michael Carrick pushes for another centre-forward before Tuesday’s deadline.
United sources indicate Sorloth is one of several names under serious consideration as the club look for a genuine No.9 to complement Benjamin Sesko rather than a short-term stopgap. The Norway international is prepared to leave Atletico this summer, and the idea of returning to the Premier League appeals to the 30-year-old after his previous spell at Crystal Palace.
United’s need has sharpened since Joshua Zirkzee was allowed to join Fiorentina. That decision has left Carrick and the recruitment team scouring the market for a forward who can offer a different profile to Sesko while still operating centrally at the highest level.
Sorloth ticks a lot of those boxes. Since moving to Atletico, he has impressed with his physical presence, aerial power and penalty-box instincts. Add in his prior experience of English football and a career tally of 175 goals in 475 matches, and it is clear why his name has climbed up United’s list.
Atletico are prepared to sanction a sale, but only on their terms. Any green light for Sorloth to go hinges on the Spanish side securing a replacement. They intend to keep Julian Alvarez, yet still want another striker through the door, with Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus and former Lille forward Jonathan David both under consideration.
Juventus have also stepped into the picture around David, exploring a complex potential deal that could involve Sorloth and Nico Gonzalez as part of an exchange. Those talks are understood to be increasingly tangled, which could impact how quickly Atletico move on any United approach.
There is another twist. David has also been offered to United, giving Carrick’s side a very different attacking option to weigh up as they examine every possible way of reshaping their frontline.
Shortlist grows as deadline looms
United’s striker search stretches well beyond Sorloth and David. The club have held conversations with Crystal Palace over Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, although both situations are described as complicated and far from straightforward.
Behind that, a cluster of younger forwards has been discussed internally. Freiburg’s Igor Matanovic, Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani and RB Leipzig’s Conrad Harder have all been looked at as potential longer-term projects rather than instant headline signings.
For now, Sorloth stands out as an experienced, attainable option who is keen on England and open to a fresh challenge. His close friendship with Manchester City star Erling Haaland adds an extra layer of intrigue: two Norway internationals, potentially lining up on opposite sides of Manchester, chasing the same prizes.
United, though, are adamant they will not move just for the sake of it. The priority remains clear – find the right partner and foil for Sesko. If that player does not emerge in the final days of the window, there is a very real chance they walk away and wait.
