Rene Meulensteen believes Manchester United made two key failures in the transfer window by prioritising a move for Jadon Sancho and failing to secure an early deal for a world-class striker.
United had made Sancho their top target for the summer but refused to meet Borussia Dortmund’s €120 million (£107.8m) asking price.
Having failed to land Sancho, United were then forced into a late flurry on deadline day which led to the signings of Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles, 18-year-old Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri and Amad Diallo, who will remain with Atalanta until January.
And Meulensteen believes Cavani will need to hit the ground running or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will continue to suffer the same problems in attack.
‘United need a real striker, a proper No.9, one like Erling Haaland,’ Meulensteen wrote in his column for Manchester United Supporters Club Scandinavia.
‘Just look at Bayern Munich about how important a striker is for them. Ask Tottenham or Leicester what a striker means. For me it is strange that a striker has not been the main goal for United.
‘Marcus Rashford can play striker, but he is not a typical striker. Anthony Martial can provide goals, but he is no goal scorer.
‘Now Edinson Cavani has signed but I don’t think Manchester United should look for a 33-year-old on the last day of the transfer window.
‘Cavani has an impressive scoring record but he knows nothing about Premier League. I really hope he adapts fast and gets started.
‘It’s hard to understand how United end up in the position that they have to hurry around for players on deadline day.’
Meulensteen also believes United were wrong to target Sancho and believes the arrival of the England international could have hindered Mason Greenwood’s progression.
‘Every day in the transfer window there were rumours about Jadon Sancho. Now the transfer did not happen anyway but my opinion is that Sancho is not what United first and foremost need. Spending so much money on such a player raises many questions,’ said the former United coach.
‘Another thing with this transfer saga is that if Dortmund had been ready to sell him, then they would have sold him earlier in the summer so they had time to sign a replacement.
‘As time went by before the deadline, it seemed unlikely to me that it would happen.
‘Dortmund have been very steadfast all the way, but my honest opinion is that Sancho is not worth £100 million.’
.
