Can Cavani become Man United’s new Ibrahimovic?

Former Manchester United star Andy Cole has backed Edinson Cavani to make a similar impact to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford.

Cavani is widely expected to put pen-to-paper on a contract with Manchester United before tonight’s deadline after leaving Paris Saint-Germain for free in the summer.

Reports have stated the Uruguayan has agreed on an initial one-season deal, which includes an option to extend it for 2021/22. He will earn a €4m premium fee once the transfer is complete. United will then pay him €11m per season and up to €2m in bonuses.

Atletico Madrid’s capture of Luis Suarez, on top of other elite European clubs being reluctant to match his wage demands, opened the door for United to pull off a sensational coup for Cavani.

✍️ DONE DEAL: If @ECavaniOfficial passes his medical, he’s a Man United player 👹 (via @FabrizioRomano) pic.twitter.com/GO7n274Ue0

— 433 (@433) October 3, 2020

The 33-year-old may be nearing the end of his career, but expectations will be high all the same. After all, this is the same man who surpassed Ibrahimovic as PSG’s record goalscorer with 200 goals in 301 appearances.

Zlatan also left PSG for United in 2016 at the age of 34 and helped the Red Devils win three trophies in his debut campaign. Therefore, Cole hopes for a repeat with Cavani.

“He’s 33, he’s won trophies, big trophies, he’ll go there and I think he’ll really look forward to playing for Manchester United,” the ex-Red Devils striker told talkSPORT.

“Hopefully he’ll work out like a Zlatan. Zlatan was unbelievable, not just around the place but as a person.

“I spent a bit of time with him, what a funny guy he is. He always believes in himself but also tries to bring the rest of the team on as well.

“If you look at Cavani’s record, he’s an individual who will get the little tap-ins, he can pick the ball up and take on a couple of players and put it in the top bin. He has those qualities.

Edinson Cavani has missed 35 games through injury and illness in his last two seasons at PSG.

He's had recurring groin, hip and hamstring issues and Manchester United are about to pay him £200,000-a-week. pic.twitter.com/qzHkbDBIrc

— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) October 5, 2020

“If you watch him over his career, wherever he has gone – I watched him numerous times at PSG – some of the goals he gets are really good quality striker goals, and that’s what Manchester United need.

“Yeah, we can say they need a centre-half, they need a left-back, a midfielder, the list could be endless, but now they’ve got a proven goalscorer who you know can get goals in the Premier League.

“[Anthony] Martial is still a baby, he’s still learning his job. We all know how good a player he is, but on the flip side of that he can be a little bit inconsistent. A lot of Man United fans want to see him do it week in, week out.

“Someone like Cavani coming in, we know what we’re going to get – proven goalscorer, he works extremely hard, he’ll score all types of goals. Man United love an individual who can score goals.”