In the world of football, Manchester United is facing a challenge in finding a solution to their lack of depth up front. Manager Erik ten Hag has openly admitted that he wanted to sign a striker in the January transfer window, but due to profit and sustainability rules (PSR), the club was unable to make this happen.
The injury to Anthony Martial, who will be sidelined for more than two months with a groin injury, has left ten Hag with just Rasmus Højlund as the sole senior striker in his squad for the rest of the season. This limitation has prompted the manager to think outside the box and find creative ways to address this issue.
Ten Hag acknowledges the presence of young talents such as Omari Forson and Amad Diallo, along with the versatile Marcus Rashford, who can all potentially fill in upfront. However, none of these options provide the same level of experience and reliability as a dedicated striker. Therefore, ten Hag is left with the task of exploring different strategies to compensate for this gap in the team.
Manchester United is hopeful that by offloading players like Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho, they will free up space and funds to bring in new signings without violating PSR regulations. However, ten Hag expresses his reservations about these rules, as they often force clubs to part ways with talented individuals who could contribute to the team's success.
The manager acknowledges the disadvantages of the PSR system, stating that selling good players to make room for compliance is not an ideal method of building a strong and competitive team. The emphasis should be on retaining and nurturing talented individuals to strengthen the squad rather than letting them go elsewhere.
Despite these challenges, ten Hag remains optimistic and hopeful about the team's prospects. He expects Sofyan Amrabat to be available for the upcoming match against West Ham, following his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco. Additionally, Victor Lindelöf is on the road to recovery after returning to training on Wednesday. However, Mason Mount continues to struggle with injuries, as he has been sidelined since November. Ten Hag expresses his empathy for Mount and emphasizes the importance of a secure and gradual process to ensure his full recovery and eventual contribution to the team.
As Manchester United navigates the remainder of the season, the focus will be on finding innovative ways to address their lack of depth up front. Whether it be relying on existing talents, signing new players within the PSR guidelines, or exploring alternative strategies, ten Hag and his team will need to be resourceful and creative to overcome this obstacle and continue their pursuit of success.
