“We’re Better Than That” – Amid Harry Kane Links, Manchester United Legend Calls Out Club for Spending ‘Hell of a Lot of Money’ on Older Strikers

Manchester United is a club that boasts an illustrious history. Countless legends have graced the Old Trafford pitch in the past, with some great strikers amongst them. Meanwhile, the last few years have seen United struggling to sign a talismanic striker. With the Red Devils linked to the prolific English striker Harry Kane, an ex-club legend has fired a warning.

United have been subjected to criticism over their transfer strategy, especially after Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. The club opted for signing seasoned strikers, fixing the issues for the short term. But the appointment of Erik ten Hag has been seen as a turning point. Now, treble-winner Andy Cole wants the club to follow a proper transfer strategy.

Andy Cole calls for the Red Devils to invest wisely

United are in search of a striker ahead of the next season. The two targets linked with the Old Trafford move are Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane and Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund. What catches the eye is the age difference between the two. Kane will turn 30, while Hojlund is 20. And that’s where Cole wants United to be strategic.

When asked about the Kane links, Cole said, as quoted by Telegraph, “I’m not going to say that if Harry Kane became available for the right money, I’d turn him down, obviously not.” However, he got attention to the signings of Manchester United in the last few years. Cole pointed out the Red Devils signing the strikers in their mid-30s or late 30s. And that’s the reason the club finds itself in a bad position. He feels the Red Devils haven’t looked for the younger striker who could carry them for years. 

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It is the core value of the club and wants the current hierarchy to resort to core values. “But we’re buying older center-forwards for a hell of a lot of money and then find ourselves in the same position a couple of years later. This is Manchester United–we’re better than that,” Cole added, slamming the club’s strategy. However, Cole’s words didn’t go in line with what Wayne Rooney said recently.

Manchester United strikers for the last few years

The last striker that shined for the United was Robin van Persie. But since then, the Red Devils struggled to get a proper goalscorer. The club opted for short-term fixes, although they did manage to sign young strikers Anthony Martial at 20 and Romelu Lukaku at 24. But those big-money signings didn’t live up to expectations.

But apart from those two, other signings fail miserably. Be it Edinson Cavani at 34, Zlatan Ibrahimovic at 35, Cristiano Ronaldo at 36, or Odion Ighalo at 30, the short-term fixes never worked. Now eyes will be on United and its next striker signing.

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Who would you sign for Manchester United, Harry Kane or Rasmus Hojlund?