Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains in hot pursuit of Jadon Sancho but he might be after the wrong man, and that's according to Steve McClaren, who served as No. 2 to Sir Alex Ferguson. The United former coach said the Red Devils need a reliable goalscorer and the role fits Erling Haaland more than Sancho does.
The comment was made following United's defeat at the Europa League semifinals against Sevilla, which McClaren said highlighted his old team's weaknesses, specifically in goalscoring. He noted that the Red Devils had opportunities to score during the match but the lack of a true marksman lost the game for the club.
"Manchester United are out of the Europa League because they failed to score in one box and failed to defend in the other," the former coach told Talk Sport.
McClaren said what United needs most is a prolific goalscorer, somebody in the mold of Haaland. The Norwegian was a target by Solskjaer in January but ended up signing with Borussia Dortmund, which according to McClaren was a lost opportunity on United's part.
He rated the 20-year-old Dortmund ace as a certified No. 9 who can score under pressure, adding talents like him are difficult to find nowadays.
McClaren said: "Haaland would have been perfect."
When compared to Sancho, the former coach explained that while the young England international can find the net, he is not the striker that is Haaland. And it's the same case for Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood, and Marcus Rashford - all four are not the goalscorer that will be the game-changer for Solskjaer's side, McClaren said.
He suggested that instead of Sancho, United should consider making a move of Tottenham star Harry Kane. But McClaren conceded that it's unimaginable too that Jose Mourinho would let go of the England captain, who is also the leading scorer in the Premier League.
Goal reported that Kane remains an option for United following the Spurs' dismal showing last season that denied the club both Champions League and Europa League spots next season. The 27-year-old striker had previously admitted frustration that despite his sterling performance in the past seasons, a trophy win seemed a distant possibility on his spell with the London club.
Recent reports indicated that Kane is unsure of his future with Tottenham, which should serve as an opening for United to continue wooing the star. Or Solskjaer can push ahead with the reported signing of Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, which was thought to be set aside to focus on the Sancho signing this summer.
