Can t sign someone? Manchester United executives admit: There may be no new striker in the new season, and the forward line will be carried by "old acquaintances"?

On July 24, 2025, as the Premier League transfer window entered the final sprint stage, authoritative media such as Daily Mail and Mirror successively exposed sharp news - Manchester United executives have privately admitted that the team is likely to have not signed a new striker when the new Premier League season begins. This means that Manchester United's forward will have to rely on existing players to "bearable" them, and behind this situation is the many difficulties of signing players this summer and the deep contradiction between the tactical system.

Current situation: The forward signings were "annihilated", and the goals were "flowers fell into other places"

Manchester United's forward goal this summer is clear: to introduce a center with Premier League experience to fill the loophole of insufficient firepower last season (last season the Premier League scored only 44 goals, ranking 15th). However, as the transfer window is approaching, all goals fail to do so:

No. 1 target Drapp: chooses to join Chelsea, not Manchester United;

Choose target Yorke: close to joining Arsenal;

Other target Ekitic: will join Liverpool. What's worse is that the two strikers that Manchester United has signed this summer - Mbemo (£71 million, Brentford) and Cunha (€74.2 million, Wolves), are not traditional centers. Mbemo focuses on the left winger or wing forward, and is good at cutting inward shots; Cunia is more inclined to the front midfielder or shadow front. The technical characteristics of the two are more in line with the "double front midfielder" needs of Amorin's formation, rather than the "fulcrum + finishing" function of the center.

This means that Manchester United's forward will face the embarrassment of "nothing is right": there are speed players such as Mbemo and Garnacho on the side, but there is a lack of centers in the middle that can get the ball, pass the ball, and carry the shots, so the offensive methods will be more single.

Dilemma: Why can't you sign a new striker?

The failure of Manchester United's forward signing was an "objective mistake" on the surface, but in fact it was the result of the interweaving of multiple factors:

The competitors were too strong: Drapp, Yorkress, Ekitic and other targets were all "hot cakes" for all Premier League teams. In order to compete for the championship, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and other giants have spent a lot of money to compete for these "immediate combat power", and Manchester United does not have an advantage in financial resources and attractiveness.

Tactical adaptability issues: Amorin's formation has extremely high requirements for the forward - it needs to be able to insert quickly, pass accurately, and form a linkage with the midfield. The Premier League centers that meet this requirement on the market have either been signed by other giants or have been overpriced (such as Sesco's value being priced at 80 million euros by Leipzig).

Ineffective internal cleaning: Manchester United still has redundant staff such as Sancho and Anthony, but the transfer market value of these players is not high and cannot make enough salary space for forward signings.

Solution: Can players be sold and replaced?

Faced with the dilemma of "not signing people", Manchester United executives have begun to "rescue themselves":

Selling redundant staff to raise money: planning to sell forwards such as Muani of Paris Saint-Germain, Watkins of Aston Villa, Sheshko of Leipzig, and Levin (free agent), raising funds by selling these players to purchase centers.

Player exchange: Consider exchanging with Chelsea, using Argentine winger Garnacho to exchange Senegalese striker Jackson. Jackson didn't have many opportunities to play at Chelsea last season, but he had certain center attributes, and Garnacho's wing speed is exactly what Chelsea needs.

However, these plans have obvious "flaws":

The sale of players such as Muani and Watkins may weaken the depth of Manchester United's forward line;

The exchange of Jackson with Chelsea is equivalent to "demolition of the east wall and filling in the west wall", and cannot fundamentally solve the problem of "lack of center" in the front line.

How to play the front line in the new season?

If Manchester United fails to sign a new forward, the forward line in the new season will have to rely on existing players:

Mbemo + Cunha: The two will serve as left wingers and front midfielders respectively, responsible for wing breakthroughs and midfield organization;

Amad Diallo: The right winger who performed well last season will compete with Mbemo and can also be competent as right back, providing the team with more tactical choices;

Zickze/Hoilen: The two will compete for the center position, but their performance last season did not meet expectations. It is still unknown whether they can shoulder the heavy responsibility of center.

What is even more worrying is that young Manchester United forward players are not yet mature and cannot assume the responsibility of "core striker".

When will Manchester United's "front crisis" be resolved? Manchester United executives admitted that "there is no way to sign a new striker", which is essentially the result of the team's tactical system not matching the transfer market. Amorin's formation requires "i.e., the center of combat", but players who meet the requirements on the market will either be snatched away or have too high prices; while Manchester United's existing strikers either have inconsistent positions or are in poor condition.

In the new season, Manchester United's forward line will face huge challenges: without a strong center, the offense will lose its "full point" and it will be difficult to form effective cooperation; if it depends on the wing breakthrough, the opponent will be easier to defend. If Manchester United wants to make a difference in the new season, they must solve the front line problem in front of the winter window transfer window - either sign a suitable center, or use tactical adjustments to allow existing players to achieve their maximum potential.

For Manchester United fans, this summer is destined to be "torture" - they expect the team to return to the championship ranks, but the "shortcoming" of the front line is like a "stumbling block" that can never be overcome.

Do you think Manchester United management can come up with a solution as soon as possible so that fans can see hope?

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