Wayne Rooney urges Louis van Gaal to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has urged Louis van Gaal to sign Harry Kane in the summer to alleviate their woes up front, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Red Devils are in the market for at least one more striker and Rooney believes that his England teammate would be the perfect candidate to take their team forward. United have not exercised the option to sign Radamel Falcao from Monaco in the summer, passing up on his £43m ($66.9m) release clause and are looking for a striker who can score goals and take them closer to a title challenge.

Robin van Persie's future at the club is also under threat, with the player unwilling to play a bit-part role in the squad and would be demanding a move elsewhere if his criteria is not met. However, his high wages mean that United may have to bear part of his salary even after he is sold to attract more buyers, having seen the likes of Lazio baulk at his extensive demands.

Kane has scored more than 30 goals this season in all competitions for the club and will be an asset for years to come given his age and potential. The Red Devils are hoping they can sign him for a fee in the range of £40m, a significant amount for a player who has had only one good season at the top flight.

Van Gaal has a soft corner for players who can do more than just score goals in his system and his captain's recommendation would go a long way in him believing that Kane is the right man to link-up with the former Everton man in front of goal.

United have a long history of business with Tottenham, having bought the likes of Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov for exorbitant fees over the past few years. They are unlikely to face competition from elsewhere with top clubs having their hands full in that department.