With the January transfer window drawing to a close, the chances of Manchester United strengthening their attacking ranks this month are looking increasingly remote. With limited funds and the notoriously difficult winter market, it seems unlikely that the club will add any significant signings before the window shuts. As such, the rebuilding job under Ruben Amorim will probably be delayed until the summer. But one thing is certain: if United are serious about moving forward, they cannot afford to make the same transfer mistakes for the third year running.
The Need for a World-Class Striker
The situation at Manchester United is dire, and they're a club in transition that really urgently needs rebuilding in most aspects, especially when it comes to attack. Changes in the squad are needed and have not been adequately addressed by the club in the transfer market over the past seasons. Despite spending a great deal of money, the team has gotten worse, and that struggle up front is a major example of poor recruitment.
In the past two seasons, United has failed to secure a reliable, world-class forward who can consistently deliver goals. If this team is to genuinely challenge for trophies and be competitive at the highest level, signing a proven No.9 should be the top priority of the club this summer. United has spent large sums in recent years, yet they have failed to find the solution to their goal-scoring woes.
An expensive mistake in 2023 and 2024
Of all the recent signings, few have been quite as expensive as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. United spent upwards of £100 million on these two young strikers, hoping to add players with real potential to lead the attack. At 20 and 23 years old, respectively, both were seen as players with a lot of promise, but not necessarily the seasoned, world-class goal-scorer that the club so desperately needed.
Hojlund's performances for Atalanta, scoring 10 in his final season before joining United, were enough to convince the club he could be the future of their attack. Zirkzee impressed, too, scoring 12 goals for Bologna last season. At Manchester United, they have combined for a total of only 11 this season--an awfully long way from what would have been expected return from two men who were supposed to lead the charge.
A Struggling Attack
Not taking anything away from Hojlund, his 16 goals last season were good considering the expectations put on him at a tender age, but he has been off-color this season. So far, he has scored only twice in the Premier League and is currently on a 10-game goal drought in all competitions. It is simply untenable not to have a reliable and prolific striker in a club with the ambitions of Manchester United.
Without a world-class forward, United are dependent on other players to chip in with goals, but that is simply not enough. The team cannot progress nor mount any serious challenge in the Premier League and beyond without being able to rely on their primary striker for consistent delivery.
A Clear Warning for the Summer
If Manchester United's rebuild is to be successful under Ruben Amorim, then the club cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. This summer transfer window should be the moment they make their move for a proven, world-class striker who can hit the ground running and make an immediate impact. The current attacking options are simply not good enough, and United cannot afford to waste another transfer window without addressing this glaring issue.
Past mistakes over the last two seasons must be salutary warnings: United simply cannot afford any more gambles on green, unproven young talent in the hope that it will eventually develop into world-class players for the club. The stakes are simply too high; the rebuilding project is just too important. The time to act is now, and the club must make sure they get it right this summer if they're to compete with the best.
Conclusion
Manchester United find themselves at a fork in the road. The club needs a massive rebuild, and included in that has to be an urgent addition of a top-class striker. The failure to secure a world-class No.9 in either of the two most recent transfer windows has cost them dear so far, and cannot be allowed to happen for a third successive summer. United's rebuild under Ruben Amorim is set to come down to hitting the right mark in the forthcoming summer transfer window-one that will set the tone for United's future hopes of again reaching the pinnacle.
With the window near its closure, the team's immediate focus may now be elsewhere, but the summer will prove very important. Properly recruited, Manchester United can return to the upper echelons of European football. First, though, comes the striker who is supposed to lead them there.
