From legendary goalscorers to electrifying wide attackers, the forward line has always been central to the attacking identity of Manchester United.
Goals win matches, and these are the Forwards tasked with creating and scoring them.
Current Man Utd Forwards
Rasmus Hojlund (9)
Currently on loan at Napoli
Rasmus Hojlund signed from Atalanta in 2023, for £64 million. Despite a promising start to his Manchester United career, with several goals scored in Europe, goals were harder to come by in the Premier League. He did hit a short spell of form scoring 7 goals in 6 consecutive games mid-season, but then dropped off.
With just 4 league goals in 32 appearances for the 2024/25 season, Hojlund was loaned out to Napoli for the 2025/26 season, where he regained form somewhat. He is contracted until 2028, but the loan deal with Napoli includes an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met.
Matheus Cunha (10)
Matheus Cunha signed from Wolves in June, 2025, for £62.5 million. It was a big signing for United, taking the talisman of a fellow Premier League team, and Cunha has shown the same sort of skilful performances at Old Trafford. He creates, he scores, and he runs up and down the pitch like a man possessed.
Cunha’s debut came against Arsenal on August 17th, 2025, a game Man Utd lost 1-0. His first goal came in a 4-2 win over Brighton in October, 2025. The Brazilian is contracted until June 2030.
Joshua Zirkzee (11)
Joshua Zirkzee joined on a 5 year contract from Bologna, with Man United pay £36.5 million to make the deal happen. It was a dream start for the young Netherlands international, since he scored the winning goal on his debut, against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Goals have been harder to come by since then, and he has not been a consistent starter for the team, although he regularly makes appearances from the bench. Despite officially being a forward, Joshua’s ability to play with his back to the goal and hold up the ball make him effective in a more traditional playmaker position, linking play and dropping into space behind the front line. He describes himself as a 9.5.
Amad (16)
Born in the Ivory Coast, Amad Diallo was bought from Atalanta in 2021 as a teenager, but used sparingly and sent out on loan between then and the end of the 2023/24 season when he began to break into the first team.
He endeared himself to fans, who were already excited by the promise he showed, when he scored a dramatic extra time winner against rivals Liverpool, to knock them out of the 2024 FA Cup at the quarter finals. By the 2024/25 season, he was a key member of the first team, and he scored his first career hat-trick in January 2025.
Bryan Mbeumo (19)
A Manchester United fan growing up, Bryan Mbeumo was an incredibly exciting signing given his performances at Brentford, who sold him to United for up to £71 million. He made his debut during a loss to Arsenal on the 17th of August 2025, and scored his first Manchester United goal in the ill-fated trip to Grimsby Town a few weeks later.
Despite a bumpy start as far as the club was concerned, his impact on the team at a personal level was instant and undeniably positive. Although left footed, Mbeumo prefers playing wide on the right then cutting inside, but he has been utilised all over the forward line since joining the club. A consistent and dangerous threat wherever he plays.
Benjamin Sesko (30)
Signed aged 22 from RB Leipzig, and costing £66 million plus add ons, Benjamin Sesko was acquired in August 2025 to fill the traditional striker role at Manchester United. He became the first Slovenian ever to represent the club.
He was eased into the role rather than thrown in the deep end, debuting as a substitute on the 17th of August, and scoring his first goal on the 27th of September, in a 3-1 defeat against Brentford. He scored again in the following game against Sunderland, but then entered a dry patch before sustaining a knee injury. After coming back, he found incredible form as something of a super sub, scoring 6 goals in 7 games.
Chido Obi (32)
Chido Obi is another promising youngster who was tempted to Old Trafford after coming through Arsenal’s youth system. He joined the Red Devils on the 5th of October 2024, and made his first team debut in February 2025 in a match against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Dane featured on 8 occasions in the 2024/25 season, including a start against Brentford which made him the youngest player to ever start a Premier League game for Manchester United, aged 17 years, 156 days. Attacking signings limited his first team exposure for the 2025/26 season.
Ethan Wheatley (36)
Currently on loan at Bradford City
Ethan Wheatley became the 250th Manchester United academy graduate to make his first team debut, when he came on against Sheffield United on the 24th of April 2024. His United career since then has been spent mostly out on loan, first at Walsall, then a long spell at Northampton Town where he was a regular starter, and then at Bradford City.
Born in Stockport, Wheatley has been with United since he was nine years old, and is currently contracted until 2028, when he will be 22. He has a lot of competition up front.
Marcus Rashford
Currently on loan at Barcelona.
One of United’s most successful academy graduates since the glory days, Marcus Rashford is a Manchester lad and a Man Utd fan who has been at the club since he was 7 years old. He broke into the first team in the 2015/16 season, famously scoring twice on his debut against Midtjylland, and twice again on his Premier League debut.
He made 426 appearances and scored 138 times for the club since then, including a 30 goal season in 2022/23, winning 5 trophies along the way. His work outside of football is also notable. Personal issues led to a falling out with then manager Erik ten Hag in 2025, since when he has been out on loan at Aston Villa, and then Barcelona.
Jadon Sancho
Currently on loan at Aston Villa
Bought from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million in 2021.
Probably the club’s worst ever signing.