Ruben Amorim might have made the wrong Manchester United transfer priority
Man Utd hope to sign a striker in the summer transfer window but another position might need to be addressed first.
Ruben Amorim is haunted by the lack of cutting edge his Manchester United showcased last season. In his first summer transfer window, he has demanded an overhaul of their attacking options, with a preference for those who are already proven in the Premier League.
Bryan Mbeumo has been signed from Brentford and Matheus Cunha has joined from Wolves. They both shone against Amorim's side in the Premier League last season and netted a combined 35 league goals between themselves across the entire campaign. United managed just 44 as an entire squad.
There is an argument that the additions of both Mbeumo and Cunha might already be enough to transform United's fortunes, but Amorim isn't done yet. He still wants to add a proven goalscorer to his side before deadline day, more so than any other position. It should certainly be on the list, but it might be a mistake to put it at the very top.
Another position could be more important
Manchester United's misfortunes in attack last season were as much about a lack of creativity as they were about a lack of quality in the final third. Rasmus Hojlund regressed under the weight of expectation in his second season, Joshua Zirkzee simply isn't a centre-forward, and Chido Obi is still far too young to expect any reliable output.
Of course, none of that will change unless an experienced striker is added to the squad this summer, though it might not be as pressing an issue following the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. The pair not only brings their goal-scoring threat to the forward line, but they also bring creativity and should provide plenty of chances for whoever is selected through the middle.
With more consistent service and less individual pressure to find the back of the net, Hojlund could rediscover the same freedom and confidence that saw him embark on a remarkable purple patch during his debut campaign. At just 22, he is by no means the finished article and it is important that any striker signing takes into consideration the raw talent of the player they already have at their disposal.
Looking at the bigger picture, the added attacking threat of Mbeumo and Cunha lessens the need for an elite striker this summer, but there is no ignoring the mess they could experience in midfield. Bruno Fernandes is expected to adopt a deeper role to accommodate the new arrivals, but there is no obvious partner for him, an issue that could undermine all the attacking improvement.
Manuel Ugarte struggled during his debut campaign, even after the arrival of Ruben Amorim. Casemiro was off the pace in domestic matches despite a resurgence on the European stage, and Kobbie Mainoo lacks the defensive discipline to play in a deep midfield role. As things stand, Toby Collyer and Sekou Kone could both get opportunities in the starting lineup next season, but there is a need for a new specialist defensive midfielder to anchor the side.
Suppose you add to the equation the struggles Andre Onana has experienced in goal throughout his time at the club. In that case, there is even an argument that signing a striker should be third in the list of priorities behind both a midfielder and a goalkeeper, rather than the position at the top of it.
It is understandable why Amorim is so concerned about addressing the lack of goals his side scored last season, but he can't allow it to distract him from the other issues that remain.
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