Man United transfer news: Ex-Red Devils star Gordon Strachan criticises club's summer transfer activity as two key areas are ignored

By Matt Law | 03 Sep 2026 19:16, Last updated: 03 Sep 2026 19:19

Former Manchester United midfielder Gordon Strachan - speaking exclusively to Sports Mole - has criticised the Red Devils for not adding to their defence oregon bringing successful a caller striker during the summertime transportation window.

Man United prioritised overhauling their midfield during the caller market, with Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans brought to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils were besides keen to motion a caller left-back but were incapable to get a woody implicit the line.

There had besides been speech of a caller guardant arriving fixed the speculation surrounding Joshua Zirkzee's aboriginal - the Dutchman was linked with a precocious power to Everton but was incapable to permission the 20-time English champions astatine that signifier of the window.

Strachan, who represented Man United connected 206 occasions betwixt 1984 and 1989, has criticised his erstwhile nine for their transportation strategy.

Strachan: 'Man United needed to motion world-class defenders'

"I deliberation if we spell backmost to it, there had to be some world-class defenders. I deliberation if you've got any hope to triumph immoderate league, there's got to beryllium world-class defenders successful your team," said Strachan.

"And I don't think they've got top, apical players at Man United. Who they person may have been determination a twelvemonth oregon 2 excessively long. But you request top, apical players. Because if you suffer 4 goals against teams that person conscionable travel up, that's not great. 

"Again, I think Man United needed another apical striker to vie with Sesko. Is it Zirkzee they person now? Yeah, helium ever looks like he's going to beryllium a apical player, but ne'er truly answered it.

"He's got the height, presence and technique, but arsenic for hunger and thrust to people a goal, I deliberation he wants to beryllium a footballer archetypal earlier a goalscorer.

"It's a goalscorer Man United need, and when you're looking for apical goalscorers now, you request that £100m to find a top, apical one."

Man United 'planning' to overhaul their defence adjacent summer

Man United overhauled their onslaught successful the summertime of 2025 earlier focusing their attraction connected boosting their midfield during the caller transportation window.

It is understood that the Red Devils could motion arsenic galore arsenic 3 defenders successful 2027, with Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw each said to beryllium 'on trial' this season.

Man United stay keen connected Newcastle United's Lewis Hall and could marque different effort to motion the England planetary during adjacent summer's transportation window.

The Red Devils person already conceded 4 times successful the Premier League this play to newly-promoted duo Hull City and Ipswich Town.

Gordon Strachan was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of Premier League betting tract Grosvenor Sport.