Erik ten Hag confirms key area Man Utd must target in transfer window as club decide plans

Manchester United are the lowest goalscorers in the Premier League's top 10, with boss Erik ten Hag admitting they must sign a prolific striker in the summer transfer window

Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United need to sign a prolific striker this summer to address their goalscoring crisis.

With just 45 goals in the Premier League this season, United are the lowest scorers in the top 10 – while the five teams above them have all scored at least 20 more goals.

Marcus Rashford, who scored 30 last season, has just eight this term, while £72million summer signing Rasmus Hojlund has managed just seven in the Premier League.

Anthony Martial has endured another injury-ravaged season, while other attackers – including skipper Bruno Fernandes and wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Antony – have not scored enough.

Against that backdrop, Ten Hag – whose future as United boss beyond this season is unclear – conceded recruiting a proven goalscorer this summer is a priority.

“I think it would help,” said Ten Hag. “There is no doubt that we counted on Martial. You need two strikers in league we're in and the competitions we're in. You need more options.

"You need double positioning in every position and some positions we didn’t have the choices this season. The striker position, the left full-back position - that has a negative impact on the results. Last season we were even shorter [up front] and came through that season very well.

“So the plan was quite logical to go into this season with an extra striker, which we signed, in Hojlund. That should have been enough to cover everything. In this plan we constructed, we should have had enough goals. You count on goals from Rashford - last season he had 30 – and you count on goals from Martial.

“In my first season, Martial played very well and also in very important games he had a high impact on our performances. And then, bringing in a goalscorer like Rasmus Hojlund, it should have been enough goals.”

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