90min

Erik ten Hag reveals positions Man Utd need to strengthen in summer transfer window

  • Ten Hag keen to bolster his strike force this summer
  • United have scored the same amount of goals as Luton Town this season
  • Full-back also an area of concern for Red Devils boss

By Joshua Browne

Marcus Rashford hasn't hit the heights of previous seasons.
Marcus Rashford hasn't hit the heights of previous seasons. / PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages
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Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United require additional attacking options and has expressed his intention to tackle this concern in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Heading into gameweek 33, the Red Devils have scored 45 goals in the Premier League this season, notably the same amount as Luton Town, Brentford, and this weekend's opponents Bournemouth.

While injuries have undoubtedly impacted their performances, doubts persist regarding the contributions of forwards Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. The 26-year-old Englishman has hit the back of the net seven times in 30 appearances for United this season while the Frenchman has bagged just one goal in 13 games and is expected to depart on a free transfer this summer.

Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund was brought to Old Trafford last summer from Atalanta but has also grappled with inconsistency, and Ten Hag believes he needs another forward option to help keep his squad firing.

"It would help," Ten Hag told Sky Sports of signing a new striker. "As I always had in this plan we constructed, we should have had enough goals.

Anthony Martial
Martial could depart on a free transfer / Stu Forster/GettyImages

"You count on goals from Rashy, last year he scored 30. You count on goals from Martial, and in my first season, he played very well. In important games, he had a high impact on our performances.

"And bringing in a goalscorer like Rasmus Hojlund in should have been enough goals.

"You need two strikers in our league or our competitions, you need more options. You need double positioning in every position. In some, we didn't have the choices this season, like the striker and the full-back. That has a negative impact on the results."

Ten Hag added: "You couldn't expect this [issues this season], but you have to deal with it.

"This business is about results and many only see the results, but you have to also see what's underneath. I see that and I see the potential, the direction, so I'm positive in the way we want to go and we will be successful."

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