United Beyond Manchester

Manchester United need a new striker this summer, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin is not the answer.

According to The Sun, Ruben Amorim wants the club to “snap up” the former Everton striker, who is available as a free agent. Calvert-Lewin left the Toffees this summer after nine years at the club.

Form Issues

While the 28-year-old offers a budget-friendly option, he doesn’t represent an upgrade on the club’s current strikers. He hasn’t reached double-digit Premier League goals since the 2020–21 season and is significantly older than Rasmus Hojlund (by six years) and Joshua Zirkzee (by four), making him a short-term solution at best.

He scored just three times in 26 appearances last season.

Injury Issues

Another issue with Calvert-Lewin is his injury record. Over the past four seasons, he has missed 83 matches with eleven different ailments. A particularly worrisome issue has been the hamstrings, with six of the eleven injuries being hamstring-related.

Manchester United have had enough problems with injuries over the past few seasons, and adding another injury-prone player would be unhelpful. Hojlund and Zirkzee dealt with issues at the position last season, while others, including Amad Diallo, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo, and Matthijs De Ligt, missed significant time.

Stunting Chido Obi’s Growth

Rasmus Hojlund is expected to leave this summer, opening a spot in United’s attack. However, Amorim needs a proven goalscorer, and with Joshua Zirkzee and young Chido Obi at the club, there is no space for another backup option.

Signing Calvert-Lewin could also stunt the growth of Obi. The 17-year-old striker recently won Player of the Tournament at the Maurice Rovello Tournament for Denmark after breaking into the first team at the end of the Premier League season. While he failed to score in his seven appearances, he showed flashes of potential and offered more than Hojlund going forward.

Manchester United should avoid Dominic Calvert-Lewin at all costs, even though he is available for free. The club needs a proven goalscorer to lead the line, such as Viktor Gyokeres, and the current backup options are better than the former Everton man.