Erik ten Hag has named midfield and attack as areas of his Manchester United team that must be strengthened before the transfer window closes.
The Red Devils are desperate to add new signings to their squad this month with their opening day defeat to Brighton heightening concerns over the squad.
Having failed to sign a central midfielder this summer, McTominay and Fred once again started in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag started the game without a striker on the pitch with Anthony Martial picking up a hamstring injury and Ronaldo not deemed fit enough after missing pre-season while also seeking to find a new club.
Ronaldo is in contention to start on Saturday against Brentford with Martial still unavailable for the clash.
United are now in talks to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus and remain in the hunt for a striker after abandoning discussions to sign Marko Arnautovic.
Ten Hag said he and the club are on the same page when it comes to transfer targets, but stressed they are just one injury away from having a ‘problem’ in some key positions.
‘’We cooperate well and it’s to my satisfaction,’ ten Hag said. ‘Of course, it was better to get the players earlier, then you get them earlier in the process. In midfield and in offence, you have seen when there is one injury, we have a problem. That’s clear.’
United have signed Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Martinez this summer but despite ten Hag highlighting the need for more midfield and attacking options, the club are still chasing reinforcements in those areas.
While ten Hag conceded it was his preference to get new faces in the door early this summer, he dismissed claims United’s transfer window has descended into a ‘disaster’.
‘It was better to get the players earlier in, because then you get earlier in the process, and now in the department of midfield and offence you have seen when we have one injury then we have a problem. That’s clear.
‘It would be my preference because we could be starting the process earlier, that’s quite clear, but at the end of the day the season is long and you have to get in the right players.
‘It’s really complicated but I think we are really happy with what we have done until now. I think that was the positive point from last week and the week before, Tyrell Malacia did very well, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez both did very well in the game against Brighton. We are very happy with that.
‘I don’t know how it was in the past. But we have to meet high standards and keep the high standards. Also the profile of players we want to get in (must be right). Of course, character is always an issue. They have to be good and fit into the team.’
