I think Manchester United have already missed out on smart January signing

It always felt inevitable that Manchester United would need to add an extra forward to their squad in the January transfer window.

A lack of goals has been a huge issue for Erik ten Hag’s side throughout the season and while other areas of the squad have been depleted by injuries, they have largely had a full-strength attack to choose from.

The issue for United is that their success this season relies on three unlikely things. Marcus Rashford would have to maintain his unsustainable world-class form from last season; Antony would need to improve massively from his debut campaign; and their summer gamble would have to pay off.

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Rasmus Hojlund has shown glimpses of real promise but he was almost always destined to struggle to meet those huge expectations of him. He is clearly a very talented striker with the raw attributes to become one of the best, but his job description as the main striker at United demands a goal return and level of consistency that can't be expected from a player of his experience.

United are now looking for extra firepower in the January transfer window, but find options limited given strict Financial Fair Play regulations and a need to sell players before they can invest in new arrivals.

Sending both Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho out on loan should help ease those pressures, but the failure to actually sell them means there isn’t much room for manoeuvre.

It means United will most likely be limited to loan signings or free agents if they are to reinforce this month, a predictable situation that could potentially have been prepared for