Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signed ‘outstanding’ star ‘at the wrong time’
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Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signed Edinson Cavani at the wrong time, according to Red Devils legend Mark Hughes. The two-time Premier League title winner hailed Cavani as ‘outstanding’ but said Ed Woodward and Co must land Harry Kane or Erling Haaland in the summer transfer window.
As the centre-forward who helped fire United to the first two of Sir Alex Ferguson’s 13 top-flight crowns, ‘Sparky’ certainly knows his strikers.
Hughes has been impressed with Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, but says neither are capable of being the focal point of the attack.
He believes Cavani gives the team more ‘focus’ and ‘confidence’ – although he feels United should have signed the former PSG striker five years ago when he was at his peak.
Cavani has missed the last four games in all competitions with a muscle injury.
And with United having fallen further off the title pace with their 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Sunday, former Wales star Hughes says it’s crucial Solskjaer signs a top-class striker for the longer term in the summer.
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Asked by Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football whether his old club should target either Kane or Haaland, Hughes said: “Yeah, I think you’ve touched on the right thing there.
“I’ve seen United lots, and they’ve got good quality at the top end of the pitch.
“Rashford, Greenwood is highly thought of. But for me, they needed Cavani five years ago when he was in his pomp.
“They probably got him at the wrong time. He’s still an outstanding centre forward. When I see him playing in this team, I think he gives them a little more focus.
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“They’ve got confidence going into his feet and things happen around him.”
Hughes feels Rashford and Greenwood are not good enough in the centre-forward role, saying: “The reality is, the other players we’ve mentioned, with Martial as well, they all want to play in any other position rather than down the middle.
“Rashford would prefer to be down the left side. Martial would prefer the left side. Greenwood prefers the right.
“They’ve all been tried down the middle but you sense not one of them really wants to be there. They need to get somebody with that quality to play down the middle to give them that focus.”
Asked whether United could land either Tottenham striker Kane or Borussia Dortmund star Haaland this summer, Hughes said: “They’re certainly the type they need to be in the market for.
“How accessible, or how much ability they will have in the market to be able to track those players, who knows? There will be a lot of clubs who will covet them.”
United are likely to face competition from Manchester City and Chelsea for Haaland, while Kane has also been linked with Pep Guardiola’s side.
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