Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is keen on acquiring a striker during the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Dutchman believed that his team’s scoring options for this season “should have sufficed.”
However, with only 45 goals scored in the Premier League and seven games left to play, United currently have the lowest goal tally among the top 10 teams.
When questioned during a press conference about the importance of recruiting a proven goal scorer to Old Trafford this summer, Ten Hag responded, “I believe it would be beneficial.”
Ideally, he aims to have more than one formidable contender for each position on the team.
Ten Hag added: “You need more options. You need double positioning in every position.
“Some positions we didn’t have the choices this season – the striker position, the left-back position – and that has a negative impact on the results.”
United, who travel to face Bournemouth on Saturday, signed Denmark forward Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £72m on a five-year deal last August.
The 21-year-old is the club’s top scorer in his debut campaign with 13 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.
England striker Marcus Rashford has netted eight times in 38 games while France international Anthony Martial, out since groin surgery in January, has scored twice in 19 appearances.
“In this plan we constructed we should have had enough goals,” Ten Hag said.
“You count on goals from Rashford – last season he scored 30. You count on goals from Martial – in my first season he played very well, and also in very important games he had a high impact on our performances.
“And then bringing a goalscorer like Rasmus Hojlund in, it should have been enough goals.”
Ten Hag ‘open’ to transfer ideas from new hierarchy
Assuming he retains his position, Ten Hag will navigate altered conditions in the transfer market following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a minority stake at United in February, thereby gaining control over football operations.
Sir Dave Brailsford, the director of sport at Ineos, is poised to assume a pivotal role at Old Trafford.
United has named Omar Berrada as chief executive, following his departure from the position of chief football operations officer at City Football Group. He is scheduled to commence his duties in the summer.
This week, United disclosed John Murtough’s departure as football director and expressed interest in recruiting Dan Ashworth, the sporting director at Newcastle.
There are speculations linking Southampton’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, with a position at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag acknowledged his prior success in United’s transfer dealings and expressed receptiveness to insights from key figures within United’s new framework, provided they align with his vision.
“We are working in the background on plans with scouting,” said the 54-year-old former Ajax head coach.
“We have good plans, I think also with quality players. You see now about recruitment: [Andre] Onana is doing very well, Rasmus Hojlund, everyone is seeing his big talent and potential. [Lisandro] Martinez, everyone was hugely happy with him, and there are others.
“So the recruitment is good. But if they [new directors] have even better ideas, we are always open. If you have options but they come with better options, we are open.
“I trust the new ownership that they will work as quick as possible and bring new good structures and that they can execute.
“But we have a way we want to play, so we know our profiles, so it has to match the profiles we want.”
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