David Moyes has been making it pretty clear that he will be looking for a central defender whilst maintaining his bid to get a striker this January.
It’s possible of course that he will settle for Jesse Lingard as an attacking midfielder plus the defender before moving for the out and out striker he needs next summer.
Indeed, that looks the only way he can operate if billionaire Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky is good to his word of refusing to make lots of cash available in the winter window.
He made that clear two or three weeks ago when explaining to the London Evening Standard: “We have come to support the club but – so as to manage supporters’ expectations – that doesn’t mean big spending in the January transfer window.
“I speak from experience. We tried to rush the development of Sparta Prague a couple of years ago and the results were disappointing.”
That of course was ahead of two major injuries to a couple of seriously important players and things may change as a result.
But top four clubs want top four players and finding them in January is always a big problem. There are a few names in the frame but for all that Kretinsky’s words need heeding before the usual “pay whatever it takes” shouts start up.
For as well as we have done so far, it will be extreme folly if the club does not get a striker. Whilst Antonio has done well the last games have shown either that the opposition have sussed him out and or the he is going through a loss of form.
The same was true with Jesse Lingard in that the second half of his time with us was much less productive than the initial onslaught.
It is imperative we get a recognised striker who knows their craft , or we face tailing off and that would be criminal
It has not cleared moderation – why ?
Wise words indeed from Kretinsky.
Yes we need another striker but the January transfer window is a lot tougher than the summer one and clubs will inflate prices if they know you are desperate.
What we don’t want is a knee jerk reaction buy.
It will hardly be knee jerk, we didn’t replace Haller and if we are to maintain our progress we must get a striker in. We cannot rely on Mikey to see us through to the end.
Apart from potential injury cover, we need variety as playing to Antonio’s skills is a bit one trick pony in approach.
Oppositions should not be able to predict our team style and as I said before I think he has been sussed out to some extent