West Ham United have been looking to buy Manchester United in recent years, and after Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, they are now considering bringing in 22-year-old Danish centre-forward Hojlund. If Graham Potter doesn't buy Brighton's Evan Ferguson this summer, Hojlund will be seen as a replacement target.

West Ham agreed a £30 million deal with Manchester United to sign Harry Maguire more than two years ago, only to fail to do so due to wage compensation issues, and the England defenders have since shown that the Hammers have a good eye. Last summer, they bought Wan-Bissaka, who was introduced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for £50 million last summer, and "Spider-Man" contributed two goals and two assists this season.

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham are now looking to lower the average age of the squad, with 20-year-old Alex Ferguson a striker on loan from his former club Brighton, but he only joined on loan and the deal does not include a buyout option. So, regardless of Ferguson's performances, a summer buyout will not be easy, with Brighton in the past seeing him as a future star who could sell for £100 million.

West Ham are keeping an eye on the 22-year-old striker if Hojlund's slump continues this season and United could accept a £40million sale for him in the summer window, according to sources. West Ham are interested in Hojlund, but they have also stressed they will not overpay for their goals.

Hojlund has scored just seven goals this season, including two in the Premier League and five in the Europa League, and he has recently been caught up in a 17-game goal drought. Even more worrying is that he has only 16 shots on goal in the league and has failed to complete a shot on target in many games. Manchester United's 3-2 win over Ipswich Town saw the "freighter" come home empty-handed again, with zero shots on goal in 66 minutes and only 12 touches of the ball.

Hojlund joined Manchester United for £72million in the summer window of 2023, but he has been inconsistent for 18 months at Old Trafford. British media said that Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has begun to lose faith in Hojlund, but the Portuguese young coach also admitted: The team as a whole is also a key factor in the striker's failure to score, and he cannot be blamed alone.

"I think it's clear that we're not helping Rasmus as a team." "We don't create many opportunities. We lacked threat and you can feel that in the game. Sometimes we got into the final third but you don't feel like we're a very dangerous team and you feel that when we drop back to defend you feel that. So, sometimes the opponent is not afraid to switch between attack and defense. So as a coach, I also feel like we're not helping the strikers."

Amorim believes the 22-year-old still has potential, but he needs to adjust. "I think Rasmus has a lot of potential and if we improve the way we play, he will have more chances to score. He was very young when he came here and it was sometimes difficult for a young player to become a number nine. It's a combination of all factors, and you have to take into account the context."

The United boss analysed: "We see Rasmus as a player with pace, skill and some difficult goals, but sometimes he doesn't choose a better run, sometimes he is too eager to touch the ball because he doesn't touch the ball for a lot of time and is far from where he should be, especially in the final third. We solve this problem in training and sometimes it has to rely on the confidence of the players, especially in our style of play."

However, former Manchester United boy Machaida has publicly questioned the quality of the existing striker, bluntly saying that if the 33-year-old returns to the Red Devils now, he will not play any worse than Hojlund and Zirkze. "I'm 33 years old and still playing at Manchester United. Can it be better? I do not know. I have to say it's not easy to play for Manchester United now, but I think I can still do it." Machaida, who famously beat Villa, said: "I personally admire Zirkze and Hojlund, the club is under pressure these days, it's not easy for any striker, not even Lewandowski. If Amorim needs me, I can play a few games! I know the Premier League, it's difficult, but why can't I?"

Machaida doesn't think there are too many quality players at Amorim's side: "I like Amorim, even if it's not good at the moment and sometimes he plays badly. It's difficult because for a club to be successful, it needs good players. Manchester United don't have a Premier League title squad yet, they have quality players, but only a few leaders: Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Lima, and that's not enough, the rest of the players are not ready to play for this club. Even if you change any coach, it won't change much."

The Italian striker is rooting for Amorim's complete rebuild: "Maybe Amorim should rebuild Manchester United to get back to tradition and history, reuse young players as before, and then I'm sure the wind will change. If they trust Amorim and give him time, bring in the right players and change some of the club's problems, like the bad spirit, I believe United can make a comeback in two or three years."