Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says “it would help” if the club signed another striker in the summer.
Anthony Martial is set to leave United at the end of the season, with the club not intending to activate the one-year extension option in his contract, leaving only Rasmus Hojlund as a senior No 9 in Ten Hag’s squad.
Martial’s exit will see his time at United end after nine years, though the 28-year-old has struggled with injuries and form over the past four. The 2019-20 season was the last in which he recorded more than 10 goals in all competitions, scoring 23 times in 48 appearances. Martial has also failed to make more than 30 club appearances in each of the last three seasons.
Martial has not played for United since December 9, having undergone groin surgery in January. The club said at the time Martial faced 10 weeks out but on Friday, Ten Hag said that although the striker is “out on the pitch” he does not know whether he will be able to play again this season.
“That is no doubt that we counted on him (Martial),” Ten Hag said. “You need two strikers in a league we are in and the competitions.
“Last season, we were even shorter and came through that season very well. The plan was quite logical to go into this season with an extra striker which we signed. That should have been enough to cover everything.”
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United brought in Hojlund for €75million (£64m; $79.8m) plus add-ons from Atalanta in the summer, with the Danish forward managing 13 goals in 34 appearances this season. When Hojlund and Martial have been unavailable, Ten Hag has predominantly used Marcus Rashford as a central striker with Bruno Fernandes also acting as a false 9 at times.
“I think it would help,” Ten Hag replied when asked if it was vital United signed a striker this summer. “As I always had in this plan we constructed that we should have had enough goals.
“You count on goals from Rashy — last season he had 30 — you count on goals from Martial. In my first season, he (Martial) played very well and also in very important games he had a high impact on our performances.
“And then bringing in a goalscorer like Rasmus Hojlund, it should have been enough goals.”
United are sixth in the Premier League but have only scored the 11th-most goals in the division this season, with their 45 in 31 games bettered by 13th-placed Fulham, 10th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion and ninth-placed Chelsea.
Ten Hag’s side travel to Bournemouth on Saturday for their next fixture.
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