Ralf Rangnick claims Manchester United board blocked January move for striker

Ralf Rangnick has claimed Manchester United’s board rejected his recommendation to sign a striker in January in a move which may have cost them Champions League football next season.

The interim manager said he told the club they should seek reinforcements in the final days of the January transfer window, with Mason Greenwood indefinitely suspended on January 30 following rape allegations, Edinson Cavani suffering with injury and Anthony Martial having left for Sevilla on loan.

“I was informed about the issue around Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial had already left, and then I was aware that within four days we had some strikers missing and that it might make sense (to buy),” Rangnick said.

“We were still in three competitions – the FA Cup, the Champions League, at the time we were fourth in the league…

“I spoke to the board and told them, ‘Shouldn’t we at least speak and analyse and find if we can at least get a player, on loan or a permanent deal?’

“In the end the answer was no. The answer was no, maybe they didn’t want to do any winter (business). It doesn’t matter, the answer was no.”

Rangnick indicated United’s scouting department felt there were no suitable players on the market that might be available. Last month, United announced chief scout Jim Lawlor and global head of scouting Marcel Bout were leaving the club.

Though time would have been limited for United, Rangnick pointed to deals in the final days of the window that took Luis Diaz from Porto to Liverpool, Julian Alvarez to Manchester City from River Plate, and Dusan Vlahovic to Juventus from Fiorentina.

Those deals were agreed prior to Greenwood’s suspension, but with Martial already having left and Cavani away on international duty – since when he has