Transfer Deadline Day: Teemu Pukki and Dries Mertens on Manchester United's striker shortlist

Napoli ace Dries Mertens and Norwich City's Teemu Pukki are reportedly on Manchester United's deadline day shortlist of strikers as they seek to find a short-term replacement for Marcus Rashford. The star striker is set to face a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a double back stress fracture and with just under half a day left to spare until the transfer deadline, United are yet to strike a deal for any reinforcements upfront.

Mertens, who turns 33 come May, would be an ideal short-term fix in the absence of their injured Englishman. He has scored 4 and assisted 2 in the Italian top flight this season and has tallied 5 goals in 6 UEFA Champions League games. His experience and goalscoring ability could provide United with another dimension in attack. Napoli, though, are not keen on parting ways with the Belgian and would hope to keep him till the end of the season.

17 - Dries Mertens has been directly involved in 17 goals in his last 18 Champions League starts (13 goals, 4 assists), including five in this campaign alone (4 goals, 1 assist). Firing. pic.twitter.com/iK6Q3Pni6a

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2019

After a superb start to the season, Pukki's fine form fizzled out which went hand in hand with Norwich City's questionable performances through the course of the season. The Canaries currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table with relegation looming over Carrow Road. Norwich are, though, reportedly unwilling to part ways with their star striker who has scored 11 goals and set up 3 in 23 league games.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are also reportedly keeping tabs on Edinson Cavani, Joshua King, Danny Ings, Odion Ighalo, and Salomon Rondon. Only time will tell if United can manage to recruit a striker on such short notice, with the transfer deadline getting closer and closer.