February 24th 2024.
In a recent interview, Erik ten Hag opened up about Manchester United's struggles to secure a striker in the January transfer window. He revealed that the club faced difficulties due to Financial Fair Play regulations, which prevented them from making any new signings.
This news comes at a crucial time for United, as they have been heavily reliant on Rasmus Hojlund this season. However, their £72 million summer signing from Atalanta has been sidelined for at least two weeks due to a muscle injury. With Anthony Martial also out of action, Ten Hag is expected to give academy forward Omari Forson his first Premier League start against Fulham on Saturday.
Ten Hag shared that he had been pushing for a new striker to be added to the squad in January, but financial restrictions made it impossible. He explained, "Striker options are the most difficult to fill, especially at our level. We already had two strikers in our squad, but with Martial's injury, I was determined to bring in another one. However, due to FFP regulations, we had to explore other options."
The decision to keep Martial last summer despite concerns over his fitness was also defended by Ten Hag. He pointed out that their best performances last season came with Martial as the striker. When it was pointed out that Martial had made less than 30 appearances last season, Ten Hag acknowledged the facts but emphasized that they were doing everything to keep him fit.
He also addressed the criticism surrounding Martial's recent performances, stating, "We should have expected more from him, that is the truth. But bringing in another striker would have meant completely ruling him out from the start of the season, and I don't think that was the right decision."
Overall, Ten Hag's interview shed light on the challenges faced by Manchester United in the transfer market and their reliance on key players like Martial. As they continue to navigate these obstacles, fans can stay informed about the latest news, exclusives, and analysis by signing up for updates on the club's website.
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