Manchester United reportedly won’t sign another striker this summer without another major sale, despite a worrying lack of clinical finishing in Sunday’s 3-0 pre-season defeat against Liverpool. Erik ten Hag’s side crafted most of the chances in Columbia but failed to put the ball in the net as defensive lapses proved costly.
Rasmus Hojlund was primed to enter the season as United’s first-choice striker, inheriting the No. 9 shirt after scoring 16 goals in his maiden campaign.
But the hamstring injury he suffered shortly after his 10th-minute goal in last Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal in Los Angeles is expected to rule him out for around six weeks.
INEOS made Joshua Zirkzee the first signing of their rule over recruitment at Old Trafford in July, capturing the Bologna striker for £36.5million.
However, the 23-year-old was a straight replacement for Anthony Martial, making him Ten Hag’s only natural frontman while Hojlund is sidelined.
And given he only reported for the start of his pre-season at Carrington in recent days, Zirkzee almost certainly won’t be in his finest condition when the 2024/25 kicks off.
United won’t be making any panic moves, though. According to The Athletic, strikers with Premier League experience – including Ivan Toney and Dominic Calvert-Lewin – have been considered.
But the Red Devils accept that they need to raise funds before launching any such pursuit, and a right-back, another centre-back, and a central midfield are also on the agenda.
Ten Hag affirmed United’s stance following the Liverpool defeat, insisting they would stay clear of panic swoops that became regular occurrences under the previous regime.
And the Dutchman suggested that Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes were all striker options while Zirkzee gets up to speed.
“That is what we can do [Sancho as a striker] if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus,” Ten Hag explained after full-time.
“Of course, Joshua Zirkzee is coming in. He has started training. But he is not so long in training, so it will take time, and he has to adjust to English football and our way of playing.
“Jadon can, of course, play as a striker. He can also play in wide areas but it could be he is a good option. I think Marcus has done it before; he can do it, and it is definitely an option.
“But I think he is more productive from the left when he is coming inside, so when he can arrive there, he is most effective. But we also have Bruno Fernandes as a striker as well.”
United’s competitive campaign commences against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday before hosting Fulham at Old Trafford in their Premier League opener on August 16.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk