Manchester United needs a striker. And fast. That was the conclusion drawn by the English media after the defeat against Crystal Palace. So far, the transfer window has done little to reassure the fans in that regard: two forwards have left, while the only arrivals have been a young central defender and a full-back.
Manchester United’s struggles in front of goal have been painfully evident, and their 0-2 home defeat against Crystal Palace only reinforced the urgency of signing a striker.
The loss at Old Trafford was not just another disappointing result but a glaring reminder of the club’s failure to address their attacking deficiencies during the transfer window. With Marcus Rashford now at Aston Villa and Antony having already made his debut for Real Betis, United’s attacking options have become worryingly thin. Despite the arrivals of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce and Arsenal youth player Ayden Heaven, neither player fits the profile of the goal-scorer United desperately needs. The stats paint a bleak picture. Rashford, who has not played since December 12, remains the club’s joint-top scorer this season a damning indictment of their current attacking output. With United now second only to Wolverhampton Wanderers for the most home defeats in the Premier League since the start of last season, the urgency for reinforcements is clear. Yet, as the January transfer window draws to a close, there is little indication that the club is close to securing a proven goal-scorer.
The situation has sparked criticism from both the media and supporters, with the Manchester Evening News identifying two figures as central to the club’s struggles technical director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada. The newspaper did not hold back, accusing them of mismanaging the club’s transfer dealings and failing to secure a much-needed striker. "United’s frontline is being depleted. Their two most expensive strikers (Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Højlund) weren’t even in the starting lineup against Palace." Instead, Rúben Amorim was forced to deploy midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as a makeshift center-forward, a tactical move that highlighted the lack of options up front. While Mainoo has impressed this season, relying on an inexperienced midfielder to lead the attack in a crucial Premier League fixture is a situation no club of United’s stature should find themselves in.
If United fans were hoping for a high-profile signing to solve their goal-scoring woes, the names linked to the club are unlikely to inspire confidence. One of the most prominent rumors surrounds Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich, a player whose current form does little to suggest he is the answer to United’s problems. "He hasn’t scored a single goal in fourteen matches. Manchester United has become Bayern’s pushover. They took their Dutch scrap wood in the summer (Matthijs de Ligt) and previously their worn-out midfielders." These harsh words from the English media reflect a growing frustration with the club’s transfer strategy, which has often seen United overpay for players who struggle to make a meaningful impact.
Manager Rúben Amorim, who arrived with high expectations, has already found himself in a difficult position. After the defeat against Palace, his post-match comments suggested a level of frustration with the club’s inability to close deals. "We are trying everything to improve the team. The market makes it difficult to get deals done right now. I really want to strengthen the squad, and I know what the team needs. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. We’ll see what players we have when the market closes." These words reflect the harsh reality at Old Trafford there is a clear understanding of what the team needs, but the inability to act quickly in the market is costing them valuable points. The urgency is undeniable, yet time is running out for Manchester United to find the striker they so desperately need.