Erik ten Hag hopes to sign a forward in January to replace Cristiano Ronaldo but believes Marcus Rashford has the ability to get 20 Premier League goals in a season to help Manchester United become more prolific.
United have scored just 20 top-flight goals, fewer than 15th-placed Leeds, and have lost Ronaldo after his contract was cancelled by mutual agreement.
Rashford is their top scorer in the Premier League with only four, equalling his tally for the whole of last season, but has 12 for club and country, including three for England in Qatar, and scored a spectacular solo goal in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Burnley.
The 25-year-old mustered a career-best total of 17 league goals in 2019-20 and Ten Hag, who is confident his side will be more potent in the second half of the season if their key attackers are available, thinks the Mancunian could get more.
The United manager said: “I think he is capable of scoring 20 goals in the Premier League. He got three in the World Cup so we know the potential to score those numbers in the Premier League.
“When you analyse the first 14 games, we are not a problem in the front line. Often players have not been 100 per cent fit and I have had to play them. That was a problem in first few games, when we get players fit and available in the front line then already we will score more goals.”
Anthony Martial, who has been limited to two league starts, was particularly affected by injury before the World Cup. Ronaldo only scored one top-flight goal this season and Ten Hag hopes youngsters Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellestri can add to his attacking options as they resume their bid for a top-four finish, but he is keen to strengthen.
He added: “We are aware we have lost a striker so we need to get one in. But he has to be the right one who brings quality into the team, not just adding to the squad. The criteria is high here at Manchester United.”
United face Nottingham Forest on Tuesday when Steve Cooper’s side will be without the ineligible goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who is on loan from Old Trafford.
Ten Hag said the England international could have a future at United, whose first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea is out of contract in the summer.
He added: “He is on loan. When that is coming to an end we will take a decision. I think he is playing really well at Nottingham Forest.”
