With Rasmus Hojlund injured in the first pre-season tour match against Arsenal, Manchester United are once more left with only one senior striker. Joshua Zirkzee joined the Red Devils to take the pressure off of Hojlund as the only striker, however now this burden is set to fall on him if Erik ten Hag can’t find another striker soon.
The Denmark international has suffered a strained hamstring in the defeat to Arsenal in Los Angeles, a match which unfortunately saw new signing Leny Yoro taken off due to injury too. Whilst Hojlund is due to be out until after the international break in September, Yoro is set for an even longer period on the side lines, not expected back until late October.
Hojlund’s striking partner Zirkzee arrived from Bologna only a matter of weeks ago and has now joined his new teammates at Carrington for pre-season training following Euro 2024.
However, Erik ten Hag has identified some other options to fill in the gap up top in Hojlund’s absence.
Erik ten Hag’s three alternatives for striker
Much like last year’s Premier League season, the injuries are already mounting up for Erik ten Hag’s side, with the Dutch manager having to rethink his plans for the coming weeks.
90min has reported that when speaking about the situation with Hojlund’s injury and the options at hand for the manager, ten Hag highlighted three individuals who could step up into the position.
The Red Devils’ manager was asked if Jadon Sancho could potentially be used as a back up striker, to which he responded: “That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus.”
He continued: “Of course, Joshua Zirkzee is coming in. He has started training. But he is not so long in training so it will take time and he has to adjust to English football and our way of playing.
“Jadon can of course play as a striker. He can also play in wide areas but it could be he is a good option.
“I think Marcus has done it before, he can do it and it is definitely an option. But I think he is more productive from the left inside, when he is coming inside, so when he can arrive there he is most effective.
“But we also have Bruno Fernandes as a striker as well.”
Due to the lack of strike options last season, we saw Rashford and Fernandes make appearances as strikers, as well as midfield star Scott McTominay, however it’s expected that the Scotland international will be leaving this summer so cannot be seen as a solution to ten Hag’s attacking problem.
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