Manchester United Targets Experienced Strikers Welbeck and Toney
Manchester United’s search for firepower is edging towards experience rather than potential, with Ben Jacobs revealing that the club are weighing moves for Danny Welbeck and Ivan Toney as they reshape their attack for the new season.
INEOS’ first summer window in full control is already gathering pace. Atalanta midfielder Ederson is set to become the first signing, with United planning at least one or two more additions in midfield as Michael Carrick looks to remodel the heart of his team. A new left-back and a left-winger are also high on Jason Wilcox’s list. If the budget stretches, a centre-back and a centre-forward are in play too.
The profile of that striker is becoming clearer.
From Igor Thiago to proven leaders
Earlier in the summer, Brentford’s Igor Thiago was one of the names on United’s radar. The Brazilian, who finished last season with the second-highest goal tally in the Premier League, had been identified as a possible option if Joshua Zirkzee were to be moved on.
Jacobs explained back in June that United were beginning to scan the market for what he called the “old and more experienced category” of strikers, with Thiago one of the few younger exceptions under consideration. It was a nod to a shift in thinking at Old Trafford: less about raw upside, more about reliability and presence.
That idea has now sharpened. Thiago did not feature in Jacobs’ latest update. Instead, two very different but equally seasoned names emerged – Welbeck and Toney.
Welbeck return on the table – at least in theory
Speaking on The United Stand, Jacobs outlined the type of centre-forward United are targeting.
“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 a long season, accepts rotation, and still sets standards when the games and minutes pile up.
That description fits Welbeck perfectly. The 33-year-old is a former academy product, a fan favourite from his first spell, and a forward who has learned to adapt his game through injuries and different roles. His name inevitably stirs a certain nostalgia around Old Trafford.
“We have spoken before about how popular it might be to bring someone back like Danny Welbeck,” Jacobs noted. He also injected a dose of realism. “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.”
So, for now, Welbeck sits in that intriguing category: an idea that makes emotional and tactical sense, but one that depends heavily on Brighton’s stance.
Toney’s goals, Toney’s wages
The other option is far less sentimental and far more ruthless: Ivan Toney.
The former Brentford striker has been prolific in Saudi Arabia, scoring 32 goals in 32 Saudi Pro League matches for Al-Ahli. That sort of return never goes unnoticed, least of all by a club still searching for a reliable source of goals to support and guide their younger forwards.
Jacobs confirmed United’s admiration. “Ivan Toney is a name that I’ve mentioned before, who Man United appreciate,” he said.
The problem is obvious. Money. Or, more specifically, wages.
“Wage is partially an issue there because he’s earning well in Saudi Arabia,” Jacobs added. Any move would hinge on Toney’s willingness to walk away from a lucrative deal. His future may also be shaped by his involvement with England, with Jacobs pointing to the period after the World Cup as a key moment.
“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.”
So United wait. They admire, they assess, but they know the decision sits largely with the player.
A different kind of number nine
What links Welbeck and Toney is not just age or experience, but the role United envisage. This is not about signing a superstar to dominate the forward line. It is about finding a striker who can live with rotation, lift the dressing room, and still deliver when called upon in a season where United intend to fight on several fronts.
The club’s recruitment drive under INEOS is beginning to show a pattern: structure in midfield, balance out wide, and now a grown-up presence at centre-forward. Whether that presence comes in the form of a returning Welbeck, a high-scoring Toney, or another experienced name entirely will define the shape of United’s attack.
What is clear is that the next number nine at Old Trafford is expected to bring more than goals. He will be asked to bring know-how, resilience and a voice. And at a club trying to rediscover its identity, that might be the most valuable currency of all.
