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Manchester United still targeting top-class striker in the transfer market

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Getty Images

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed he will continue his pursuit of a top-class striker, despite the outstanding form of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

The Norwegian has hailed the goal-scoring form of his forwards this season – but insists he wants more competition for places in attack.

United missed out on Erling Braut Haaland in January and dropped out of the race for Chelsea-bound Timo Werner to concentrate on other transfer priorities when the window opens.

The loan signing of Odion Ighalo has also eased the pressure to find a backup for Martial in the short term.

But Solskjaer, who has repeatedly spoken of the need to recruit a prolific goal-scorer, said: “You need competition for places at Man United.

"If you think you’ve got a divine right to be playing every game and are doing so well that we’re not going to look for players to replace you, you’re in the wrong place.

“I’ve been here myself for so many years as a striker and Teddy Sheringham comes in, Dwight Yorke comes in, Ruud van Nistelrooy comes in, Wayne Rooney comes in.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

"We’ve always got to look at improving, and if they don’t improve, we might have to look somewhere else to get better because we have to be better.

“We’re too far away from where we need to be and want to be.”

Solskjaer has been rewarded for the faith he has shown in Rashford and Martial.

He challenged both to become 20-goal-a-season strikers when moving on Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez last summer.

Martial took his total to 19 with a hat-trick against Sheffield United last week, while Rashford has 22 for club and country.

That’s despite both enduring long injury lay-offs.

Meanwhile Mason Greenwood has scored 13 in an outstanding breakthrough season.

Solskjaer said: “I’ve always had faith in the forwards we have at the club - Mason, Marcus and Anthony.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

“I think they’re boys who improve on trust. I think they’re good boys to talk to, discuss and sit with and they know that I trust them. They know I want the best for them, but they also know I’ve got to make decisions for the team and the club.

“They’ve all taken responsibility at different parts of the season and I’m delighted with all of them.

“It doesn’t give me any personal satisfaction because I made the decision that I thought was right for the club early on to give these players the opportunity, and Odion has come in and helped us.”

Lukaku has also flourished at Inter with 25 goals already since his £74million move to Inter.

But Solskjaer has no regrets about letting the Belgium international go.

(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)

“Romelu’s a very good goal-scorer,” he said. “He’ll score goals in any team that he plays in. It was time now for him to move on and pursue other dreams.

“For us as a group it was time to allow our forwards to feel that confidence and feel that demand of playing and being demanded to play every game, two, three, four games – five, six, seven games on the bounce and perform.

“In the end that’s how you get to another level, a different level. I think all three that we have talked about have had a good development this season, but they can be so much better.

“All three, I’m still waiting to see them blossom because there are parts of their game that they still need to improve on.”

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