Inter have ended their pursuit of Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund, a report has revealed, handing a blow to the Red Devils’ plan to rebuild their forward line.

United have already signed Matheus Cunha to play in an attacking midfield role, with similar plans for Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford, but manager Ruben Amorim is still thought to want a new out-and-out striker after watching both Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggle last season.

It is believed that United may need to sell Højlund before being able to bring in a new striker, but the Dane has publicly stressed his desire to stay and the options of an exit appear to be shrinking as The Athletic state Inter have ended their interest.

A handful of clubs in Serie A have been linked with Højlund but there does not appear to be anything concrete as it stands, limiting United’s chances of signing a replacement.

Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku has been linked with United since the January transfer window and remains of interest to the Red Devils, but he is not the only Chelsea forward on the radar as Sky Sports News name Nicolas Jackson as a possible target.

Jackson is no longer seen as untouchable at Chelsea following the arrivals of Liam Delap and João Pedro. Offers for the Senegal international would be entertained but previous reports have suggested Chelsea could demand as much as £100 million ($134.5 million) to agree to a sale. In reality, the Blues’ final asking price is unlikely to be so high.

Clubs in the Premier League, including United and Aston Villa, are monitoring Jackson, while The Athletic even report on admiration from Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who tried to sign Jackson during his time at Bournemouth. A move to Anfield would appear highly unlikely, however.

For now, United are focused solely on striking a deal for Mbeumo. Interest in Jackson is by no means advanced, with plenty of work needed to resolve Højlund’s future before any further moves can be made.

Chelsea are known admirers of United winger Alejandro Garnacho, sparking obvious suggestions of a possible swap deal, but no such negotiations have been held at this point.