Manchester United’s two main strikers have struggled for goals this season, but that doesn’t mean they should chuck millions more in that department.

As per usual, January transfer rumours with varying degrees of veracity are in heavy circulation and with Manchester United sitting at 15th, having struggled for goals all season, fans are clamouring for reinforcements. This is understandable as United have scored just 23 goals in 2024/25. By way of comparison, Premier league leaders Liverpool have scored 48 and sixth placed Manchester City have 38.

United signed Rasmus Hojlund for £72million from Serie A side Atalanta in the summer of 2023. One year on they signed Joshua Zirkzee from another Italian side, Bologna, for roughly £36.5 million - both on long-term contracts. Hojlund has scored 23 goals in 67 appearances since his arrival while Zirkzee has four goals in 29 matches. The goal returns aren’t too bad but for a combined £100 million, questions must be asked.

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From the outside, United look desperate for a striker. In fact, the strikers have missed seven ‘big chances’ between them this season which is nothing in comparison to two key midfielders.

Alejandro Garnacho, who could be moving away from Manchester this January, has missed a team high nine big chances with captain Bruno Fernandes, is behind him with eight. Under Erik Ten Hag, United were notorious for creating little to no chances for their strikers. Indeed, you have to scroll all the way to 22nd and 64th regarding the most shots players averaged per 90 minutes in the Premier League to see a United player - the former being Garnacho and the latter Amad Diallo.

It's clear under Ruben Amorim, chances and goals must be spread out throughout the pitch, as he explained on his arrival in November.

"We'll try to improve as a team and Rasmus and Josh and Rash will score more goals," he said.

"Even Bruno has to score more. Amad has to be better near the goal. We can score so many goals. You are trying to [find out] if I need a new striker to score goals. But we need to improve as a team, and these players can score more goals."

This doesn’t mean United shouldn’t target a striker in the future but having spent around £100 million on two over the last two seasons and with PSR issues circling, resources should go elsewhere. United quite literally cannot afford to get their next big signing wrong and signing a striker in a notoriously expensive and difficult window, may do that.

Since Amorim took charge, Hojlund has looked slicker in Red as has Zirkzee, whose willingness to receive and give up the ball quickly are coming to light in Amorim’s structure - a structure heavily favouriting wingbacks, yet United’s options there are limited.

Diogo Dalot has played out of position on the left all season and despite Noussair Mazraoui looking fantastic since his summer arrival from Bayern Munich, he is more of a full-back than a wing-back. Long-term, United likely need two specialists in either wing-back position.

Dalot and Mazraoui are solid options right-wing-back options, meaning resources should be prioritised on the left. United’s left-hand side of the pitch is craving width and attacking prowess, something it hasn’t had since Luke Shaw’s standout season in 2020/21.

United could do with another attacker, but for now efforts on the training ground must continue and hope for the continued improvement of both Hojlund and Zirkzee. A fine example is Nicolas Jackson (23), who is thriving after a poor first season at Chelsea. We mustn't forget Hojlund is aged just 21 and Zirkzee 23. Time and patience is key, especially under Amorim and his different structure.