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This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United are not interested in making a swoop for Fernando Llorente this summer.

What's the word?

Reports had suggested the Spaniard was on the verge of a free transfer to United following his release from Tottenham at the end of last season.

However, The Daily Mail claim that this is not the case and the Red Devils "do not plan" on making an offer for the veteran forward any time soon - this is a mistake.

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United's transfer stance on Llorente is likely to mean Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to make do with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Alexis Sanchez as his sole options up front, and the latter could be set for a departure.

Plan B

Llorente may not have had regular first-team starts at Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino, but there can be no doubting that he was part of some magical moments in his time in north London.

The Spaniard scored that all-important goal at the Etihad against Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals, and followed it up with a supreme second-leg performance against Ajax in the last four.

Whilst Solskjaer is intent on trying to press from the front and inject some pace into the United attack, the Red Devils could really do with someone of Llorente's profile. After all, just look at the success Marouane Fellaini had at Old Trafford whenever the side wanted to go more direct.

It may not be easy on the eye, but it's most definitely effective. In the Premier League last season, the former Athletic Bilbao striker registered an average of 2.7 aerial duels won per game.

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Instead, United's reported stance on the 6 foot 5 ace means there is going to be a huge reliance on an inexperienced set of forwards who all play the same way to fire the side to glory this season.

Plan A may well work for most of the campaign, but not having a Plan B in their ranks like the former Spurs star could be a major oversight on Solskjaer's part.

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