Pep Guardiola has already delivered his verdict on Manchester United target Moussa Dembele

Moussa Dembele, a Manchester United target, has previously been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

United have made preliminary inquiries about signing the Frenchman this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News on Friday. United will prioritize the purchase of a striker in the forthcoming transfer window, among other things, in order to give their frontline a new look.

It comes after interim manager Ralf Rangnick recommended the team to hunt for a younger striker after a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.

Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, and Edinson Cavani, 35, are both nearing the end of their careers, and United will soon be in need of some new blood.

Dembele, who formerly played for Fulham and Celtic, is one of the players United is keeping an eye on, but they are keen to sign him. At Old Trafford, though, he would most certainly be considered a squad player rather than a regular starter.

He joined Lyon from Celtic in 2018 and has 54 goals in 130 appearances across all competitions, including nine goals in 22 games this season. While his form this season has not been stellar, he is a tremendously skilled player who was praised by City manager Pep Guardiola in 2016.

Ahead of City’s Champions League match against Celtic, the Catalan praised Dembele’s skills. He had scored twice against City in a 3-3 draw in September, and he had caught the Blues manager’s attention ahead of the two clubs’ second group stage match.

“If you read the press in the last six months since I became Manchester City coach, maybe I’ve been in contact with 126 players to buy for Manchester City,” Guardiola remarked in December 2016.

“So, every week, I contact about ten players for the upcoming season; Alexis [Sanchez] was the final one. He is, nevertheless, an extraordinary player in terms of his qualities.”

Dembele scored 32 goals in 49 appearances for Celtic in all competitions during the 2016/17 season, when Guardiola praised his abilities. The following season, he scored 16 more goals, which was enough to persuade Lyon to buy him for around £20 million.

The Frenchman, who turned 26 in July, has since spent time on loan at Atletico Madrid. Last season, though, he failed to live up to expectations in the Spanish capital, scoring no goals in seven appearances.