Next year, Manchester United wants to add a forward, but it should be clear what kind of player they need by now.
Manchester United’s decision-makers are already considering the scale of their transfer business next summer, even though the season is just four games old.
The biggest clubs always have one or two windows in mind, and since January is typically unimportant for those teams, it is the summer that concentrates their thoughts. United already knows what they will require in 2024.
The team has undergone a tremendous transformation under Erik ten Hag. He has spent more than £400 million on signing a goalkeeper, a center defender, a left back, four central midfielders, a right winger, and a striker over the course of two transfer windows. However, everyone agrees that more has to be done.
There is a fair probability that a right-back will be towards the top of the list by next summer, but obviously a lot can change between now and then. If Victor Lindelof or Harry Maguire depart, another center defender is probably in order, and if Anthony Martial’s Old Trafford career is coming to an end as predicted, another forward will likely play a significant role.
Rasmus Hojlund, 20, was purchased by United for £72 million this summer, and although though he has only appeared in slightly more than 30 minutes of game time, it must be assumed that he will serve as the team’s primary striker for many years to come. But he is unable to handle it alone.
Martial is currently the likely candidate to provide the support, although this is his eighth season with the team, and he’s only had one really strong year. He’s also more prone to injuries.
Therefore, John Murtough and Ten Hag will probably hunt for a replacement for Hojlund next summer, but the striker doesn’t have to fit the same mold. They like Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, like every major club, but after signing Hojlund, a deal for Ferguson seems unlikely.
