Erik ten Hag openly acknowledges his desire to recruit a striker, highlighting that Manchester United’s failure to secure one requires him to be “a little bit creative” for the remainder of the season.
The subdued January transfer window in the Premier League is attributed, in part, to the impact of the profit and sustainability rules.
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In the closing hours of deadline day, United secured a thrilling 4-3 victory against Wolves, courtesy of teenage sensation Kobbie Mainoo’s brilliant performance.
Goals from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund contributed to the win, but Anthony Martial’s groin injury leaves a void in the striker position with no other established options.
During the match, 19-year-old Omari Forson substituted for Hojlund and played a pivotal role in assisting Mainoo on his Premier League debut.
With the challenge of securing Champions League qualification and pursuing FA Cup glory, Ten Hag must continue to demonstrate creativity in managing the team’s attacking options.
Asked if he was confident he has the team needed to achieve their objectives despite not bringing in a striker, the Red Devils manager said: “I think it’s not a secret that I wanted a striker extra.
‘Because with the injury of Martial we don’t really have back-up there, but it was not possible because we have to match the FFP rules.
‘We have Omari, we have Amad Diallo, of course we have Rashford who can play there. I think for the rest, all the positions are occupied. But, yeah, we have to be a little bit creative if it’s up to the number nine position.’
During the transfer window, Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek, and Hannibal Mejbri departed on loan as part of United’s effort to streamline the squad.
Despite offloading wages, the financial constraints persisted, making it challenging for the club to acquire the backup striker they were actively seeking.
‘There are some disadvantages on FFP,” Ten Hag said. “So, to make space for FFP, you actually have to sell players and you have to sell good players and I don’t think that’s the way how you build a team.’
United made substantial investments in the summer, securing talents such as Rasmus Hojlund for a potential £72 million and allocating up to £47.2 million for Andre Onana.
Mason Mount, acquired from Chelsea for a fee rising to £60 million, faced a challenging debut season at Old Trafford.
Hindered by a hamstring problem and subsequent calf issues, the 25-year-old has been limited to just 12 appearances, with the last one occurring against Luton on November 11.
‘He was struggling from the second game of the season,” Ten Hag said of Mount, who has begun training on the grass as he steps up his recovery.
‘He returns for a period and then picked up another injury, so of course that’s not great.
‘That is very frustrating for him and I really feel for him, so I really want to be there for him because he had such high expectations and I had high expectations.
‘I’m sure he’s a very good player for us but, first of all, what’s now important, and we have to do it very secure, is to get him fit.
‘Secure in the process, step by step, don’t force it, and then hopefully by the end of the season he can stay fit and find himself in the team, or at least that he play a role in this team.
‘Absolutely, I expect him to return this season.’
