On Saturday night it has spectacularly emerged that Manchester United will be signing former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.
RMC’s Mohamed Bouhafsi reports that Cavani will sign a two-year contract at Old Trafford.
A deal could be done as soon as tomorrow, with the Uruguayan forward making the trip to England tonight, ahead of a medical.
Edinson Cavani to Join Manchester United
A Career of Scoring Goals
The legendary Uruguay striker has spent his career scoring goals and at 33-years-old that’s all Manchester United will ask of him.
Having made 301 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, he managed to score an impressive 200 goals. Perhaps, a pleasing way to end his time in France.
His goalscoring record is nothing short of outrageous. Cavani also scored 104 goals in 138 games for Napoli.
A star on the international stage too, he has come up with 50 goals in his 116 games for Uruguay to-date.
Cavani Could Fit in Well at United
At 33, questions will be raised about this signing. It doesn’t exactly fit the bill for a usual Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signing. However, despite Anthony Martial‘s best goalscoring season yet in 2019/20, United still lack something upfront.
Odion Ighalo‘s performances have become lacklustre and his extended loan comes to an end in January 2021. It may be that it has been decided for another relatively short-term option to fill the void ahead of Mason Greenwood, a product of the academy, taking the mantle when he is ready.
Marcus Rashford also had a short stint upfront, but that didn’t quite work out and Greenwood doesn’t seem ready yet. Cavani’s arrival could have a positive effect on the growth of the players around him, as is what happened when Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined.
Falcao Comparisons Can Only Be Put to Bed With Goals
Cavani’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired this summer. He scored seven goals in 22 games last season, which may not be anywhere near his best output, but his minutes had been significantly lower. Perhaps owing to his desire to leave rather than renew his contract there.
Many will look at this signing in a similar light to that of Radamel Falcao, a late move, forced by lack of another option. This certainly hints at a step back into some of those daunting transfers of Louis van Gaal’s reign at Old Trafford, where reputation was perceptively prioritised. Though, this time around it could be good business for United.
The only way for Cavani to stop or prevent those comparisons is to score goals.
Manchester United are not estranged to having a Uruguayan striker leading the line. Diego Forlan scored 17 goals in 98 appearances for the club before his departure for La Liga & Villarreal.
Guillermo Varela, now at Copenhagen, is another Uruguayan to have represented the Red Devils of-late.
Cavani could face his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, later this month as Manchester United go to Parc Des Princes on Tuesday, October 20 in the Champions League group stage.
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