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Man United might have finished 2nd next season and scored 73 goals in the league but there were clear signs throughout the season that they needed a world-class striker though it’s worth noting that signing Jadon Sancho will definitely bolster their attack.
Struggles in Man United's attack
Goalless draws against Chelsea (twice), Liverpool, Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Leeds all represented games that Man United mostly dominated but failed to find the winning goal. In some cases, that was down to a lack of creativity and not being able to create chances, but it was mostly because United had plenty of opportunities to win the games but failed to take their chances. If United had won even half of those goalless draws, they might have been celebrating winning the title.
If Man United had a world-class striker in their prime such as Kane, Haaland or Lewandowski who ruthlessly took their opportunities then that would have turned those draws into wins and probably would have meant that they won the Europa League against Villarreal. The game was cagey, but United dominated and still had plenty of chances to win it, ultimately suffering an embarrassing defeat on penalties.
Support for Cavani, Greenwood and Fernandes
As well as giving Man United’s attack a clinical edge, a world-class striker would also provide United with a focal point. Cavani provided that last season at times, linking especially well with Fernandes but at 34 cannot be relied on to play every week. Mason Greenwood will undoubtedly be a world-class striker and is probably the most natural finisher at the club. However, like Cavani, Greenwood’s age is also a problem. He’s only 19 and not yet ready to lead the line full-time, though in a few years he will be. The presence of an elite striker would also further Greenwood’s development and give him someone to learn from, though it’s fair to say that Cavani’s already taught him plenty. Rashford and Sancho provide a goal threat, but neither of them are natural finishers, especially Rashford.
Signing a world-class striker would also reduce the burden on Fernandes. Man United relied heavily on Fernandes too much last season and he was the club’s leading goalscorer with 28. When a midfielder is the club’s highest goalscorer that shows how much they need a striker. Although Fernandes will always score a decent amount of goals, his main job is to create and assist. Someone like Kane or Haaland would delight in finishing the chances that Fernandes would create. The understanding between Fernandes and Cavani last season showed how well he can link with strikers of a similar caliber to himself.
Though Man United clearly need a striker to win the league, their chances of signing one seem slim. Signing a centre-back and a winger were obviously the club’s bigger priorities in this transfer window and Cavani signing a one-year extension would seem to imply that United don’t feel that a striker is needed and are happy with what they’ve got. It's also debatable whether a top-class striker would want to sign for Man United. Admittedly Man City have won the league last season under Guardiola without a conventional striker. However, especially with the signings of Varane and Sancho, it really feels like signing a world-class striker could be the final piece of the puzzle for Man United and mean that they’d finally win the league again.
