Manchester United “want a striker like Roberto Firmino or Heung-min Son”, says Gary Neville, with the club prepared to move away from “typical” frontmen like Romelu Lukaku and Diego Costa.
The Red Devils proved as much when sanctioning the sale of a Belgium international goalscorer over the summer.
Lukaku was allowed to leave for Inter as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sought to take things in a different direction at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are now being asked to lead the line, with United placing greater emphasis on movement, pace and team work.
Neville believes that may be the best solution long term as others – including Red Devils teams of the past – have shown that you do not need a prolific focal point to be successful.
The former United defender told Sky Sports: “I look at Firmino when he first came to England, I look at [Mohamed] Salah when he was first at Chelsea, I look at [Sadio] Mane. Sometimes players have to develop into what they are going to become.
“I think United want a striker like Firmino, like Son at Tottenham. I think [Solskjaer] wants that type of player.
“I don’t think he wants a typical striker who is basically going to be a Lukaku or a Costa. I don’t think he’s looking for that type. I think he’s looking for a more mobile type in a front three or a front two.
Louis Saha Manchester United
Louis Saha Manchester United
“I think this club has always had strikers who can play in pairs, who contribute off the ball.
“I’ll make a point about Ruud van Nistelrooy. We won less championships with him at centre-forward than when we brought Louis Saha in to partner Wayne Rooney.
“He was nowhere near as good a finisher as Ruud or as good a striker as Ruud, but the team became better. And that’s my point, I don’t think Ole wants a striker like that; I think he wants a mobile striker.”
Liverpool are considered to be the blueprint in the present for working without a standard No.9, with Jurgen Klopp having set his stall out quickly upon taking the reins at Anfield when he took the decision to offload Christian Benteke.
“He just chucked him out the club because he didn’t suit his style of play,” Neville added.
“Ole’s done the same with Lukaku, and Lukaku is a far better player than Benteke.
“Ole is not going to sign a striker just because he scores goals, because Lukaku would have done that.”
