Manchester United Target Experienced No 9: Welbeck and Toney in Focus

Manchester United’s summer rebuild is starting to take shape, and it now has a clear theme up front: experience.

With Ederson set to arrive from Atalanta as the first signing of the window, United’s hierarchy are turning their attention to a veteran centre-forward who can guide a young attack through a long, demanding season. The club’s interest had previously stretched to Brentford’s Igor Thiago, but the focus has shifted. Two familiar names now sit closer to the top of the list.

From Igor Thiago to old heads

Earlier in the summer, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that United had been tracking Igor Thiago after his prolific Premier League campaign, positioning the Brentford striker as a possible option if Joshua Zirkzee were to move on.

At that stage, the club were said to be “starting to look at the market in the old and more experienced category of strikers, with one or two exceptions like Igor Thiago – in case Zirkzee leaves.” Thiago, younger and closer to his peak, was one such exception.

That exception seems to have faded. In Jacobs’ latest update, Thiago’s name disappeared from the conversation. Instead, the spotlight fell on two very different profiles: Brighton’s Danny Welbeck and Al-Ahli forward Ivan Toney.

United want more than just goals

Speaking on The United Stand, Jacobs outlined the type of striker United are now actively considering.

“My feeling is that if they go for a number nine, it will more likely be an experienced name and somebody that can really be a strong positive dressing room influence,” he said. The brief is clear: a player who understands he will not start every game, but can still set standards and steady the group as United chase trophies on multiple fronts.

This is not about replacing Zirkzee as the focal point. It is about complementing him. About adding a voice, a presence, a safety net when the fixtures pile up and the pressure bites.

Welbeck: the sentimental option with a snag

Welbeck’s name inevitably stirs emotion around Old Trafford. A product of United’s academy, a popular figure among supporters, and a forward whose movement and work rate still trouble Premier League defences at Brighton.

“We have spoken before about how popular it might be to bring someone back like Danny Welbeck,” Jacobs said. “Nothing is necessarily developing there yet but if they give that due consideration, the fanbase will probably like that. But I don’t think he’s a player that Brighton would want to sell.”

There lies the problem. Welbeck ticks the boxes in terms of personality, experience and familiarity with the club. Brighton, though, have little incentive to weaken their own squad for the sake of United’s nostalgia. Sentiment rarely wins negotiations.

Toney: goals in Saudi, questions in Europe

If Welbeck represents the romantic route, Ivan Toney is the hard-nosed, goalscoring alternative.

Since moving to Al-Ahli, Toney has been ruthless in front of goal, scoring 32 times in 32 Saudi Pro League matches. That return has not gone unnoticed at Old Trafford.

“Ivan Toney is a name that I’ve mentioned before, who Man United appreciate,” Jacobs confirmed. The admiration is obvious: proven Premier League pedigree, physical presence, penalty-box instinct.

The complication is financial and personal. “Wage is partially an issue there because he’s earning well in Saudi Arabia,” Jacobs added. The decision may ultimately rest with Toney himself.

“Let’s see what happens after the World Cup with Toney and if he is prepared to leave Saudi because despite constant rumours that he wants out, I’ve always been told that at football level and family level, he’s quite happy there.”

United, then, are watching and waiting. If Toney decides the time is right to return to European football, they intend to be in the conversation.

A squad built for the long haul

Behind the striker search, the broader plan remains unchanged. Ederson’s arrival is expected to be followed by at least one more midfielder as Michael Carrick reshapes the centre of the pitch. A new left-back and left-winger sit high on INEOS’ agenda, with sporting director Jason Wilcox driving the strategy.

If the budget stretches, a centre-back and a centre-forward could also follow. The experienced No 9 sits at the heart of that secondary push.

United do not just want another goalscorer. They want someone who can walk into a restless dressing room, absorb some of the strain, and help carry a squad that believes it should be challenging again.

Whether that calming presence turns out to be a returning Welbeck, a ruthless Toney, or another seasoned forward altogether, one thing is clear: this time, United want a striker who brings more than just numbers on a stat sheet.