Jaap Stam believes Erik ten Hag needs to sign a striker and another winger if Manchester United are to challenge for the Premier League next season.
The Reds have circled Harry Kane as their top summer target in a list of potential transfer options that include Napoli star Victor Osimhen, Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani and Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos.
United have no plans to sign January loanee Wout Weghorst on a permanent basis while the club are open to letting Anthony Martial leave too. Aside from Weghorst, the only other attacking signing Ten Hag has made during his tenure is Antony.
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The winger arrived in an £85m deadline day deal and has gone on to score eight goals and provide three assists in 42 games. He joined a list of wide men comprising Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Facundo Pellistri and Anthony Elanga.
However, Stam says more quality is needed within these ranks if United are to make a serious push for the Premier League title next season with 29-goal Rashford shouldering much of the scoring burden this term.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he said: “To eventually have the opportunity to win the Premier League, together with the number nine, I think he [Ten Hag] needs to bring in an extra winger as well. Because I think you need to have more players from the sides that can produce, that can give assists to the striker, but also can score more goals themselves.”
Stam says achieving a top-four finish will ensure Ten Hag is backed by the owners, whoever that may be, ahead of a title charge.
United are favourites to land a Champions League spot with three games left to play and are still on for a cup double, having already won the Carabao Cup in February with an FA Cup final against Manchester City to look forward to on June 3.
Stam says another trophy lift alongside a top four finish would only bolster the position of Ten Hag and the club in the transfer window. The former United star added: “I think it would be very good for Erik to win the FA Cup because it helps you as a manager.
“People are seeing, and also believing, that there's a change since he’s been over there to Manchester. But I think there's been talk before that, and I've said it before as well, that there’s an expectation to get into the Champions League as well, which is very important.
“So I think Champions League football for United next season is important for the club and financially as well. It's a very big thing for him to reach the Champions League spots and end the season in the top four.
“If he's doing that, together with winning the FA Cup, then he's having a very productive and very good season since he stepped in. He may feel as well that the owners will back him and that they’ll feel he's going to be taking the club to the next step.”
Stam was speaking to MEN Sport courtesy of Full Circle from Bet365.
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