Ruben Amorim has pushed back on suggestions that Manchester United need to sign a new striker to address a lack of goals so far this season.
United have scored just 13 times across 12 Premier League games, including a run of three successive blanks in late September and early October.
Only Everton, Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored less regularly in the league, while strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have netted only once each.
In all competitions, United’s biggest source of goals has been Alejandro Garnacho with seven, followed by Marcus Rashford on five.
United have been linked with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani and Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface to address the problem.
But an expensive pursuit would go against a recent report suggesting that the club’s transfer budget will be more modest than before to escape a cycle of rebuilding, with Amorim primarily tasked with unlocking potential in the existing squad.
The boss effectively confirmed as much, stressing the need to make current players better.
“Of course, there is a concern in that [about scoring goals], but I think we have to improve as a team, because we have quality players that can score so many goals,” Amorim explained when asked about potentially recruiting a striker at his press conference ahead of United’s Europa League tie with Bodo/Glimt.
“[Against Ipswich], we controlled the possession of the ball, but we were not dangerous. Maybe because we spent the week trying to work on build-up, and then the rest was not working.
“So we’ll try to improve as a team and Rasmus, Josh and Rash will score more goals. Even Bruno [Fernandes] has to score more”.
“Amad [Diallo] has to be better near the goal. We can score so many goals. You are trying to [find out] if I need a new striker to score goals. But we need to improve as a team, and these players can score more goals.”
What we know
- Man Utd’s lack of goals has led to links with new striker pursuit
- Club recently reported to be keen to end cycle of expensive rebuilds
- Ruben Amorim has addressed the calls for recruitment up front.