MANCHESTER UNITED missed out on the chance of closing the gap between City and Liverpool by failing to sign striker Erling Haaland.
That is the view of former Old Trafford midfielder Paul Ince, who is adamant Haaland’s guaranteed goalscoring would have seen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side catch up with the champions and league leaders.
Paul Ince believes Man Utd signing Haaland would have closed gap on Liverpool and CityCredit: Reuters
But instead 19-year-old Haaland joined German side Borussia Dortmund, since scoring 12 goals in just 11 appearances – with United letting the transfer “slip through the net”.
Ince told Goal: “If they want to close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool then they need a world-class striker.
“They had the chance with Haaland, the young kid who went to Dortmund, that was sad really.
“He is a very, very good player who can improve and you can’t let people like that slip through the net.”
United did improve their squad in the winter window signing midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon and securing a last-gasp loan deal for Shanghai Shenhua forward Odion Ighalo.
Fernandes won the Premier League player of the month in February while Ighalo has managed four goals in eight games.
Still, however, Ince has urged the club to make sure they sign a prolific scorer in the summer and warns of potential departures in the squad.
He said: “That was disappointing that they couldn’t get him [Haaland].
“They have got to have someone in who gets 20-25 goals a season.
“There are players who Ole will still feel should not be there next year. There will be more players leaving and more coming in. I think you have to get the right balance.”
Ince has urged the club to make sure they sign a prolific scorer in the summerCredit: PA:Press Association
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
