Manchester United missed out on making a signing that could have made a “big difference” during the summer transfer window, says Paul Scholes, with Christian Eriksen billed as the type of player they need.
The Red Devils were heavily linked with the Tottenham playmaker as the Premier League deadline approached.
With the Denmark international having entered the final year of his contract with Spurs, speculation surrounding his future has been stepped up.
He could still get a move before windows close across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid said to be keen, but United are unable to further bolster their ranks until January.
Club legend Scholes believes they have missed a trick, telling Radio 5 Live: “I was quite excited when Christian Eriksen got mentioned.
“He could have made a big difference to United in the way [Kevin] De Bruyne plays for City, creating chances and scoring goals.
“They haven't got that but they have some good players so the target is top four and I think they will make it.”
Eriksen would have brought added creativity to United’s ranks had an approach been made, but is not the only player that Scholes feels the Red Devils should have been looking to bring in.
Getty ImagesBelgium international striker Romelu Lukaku has been allowed to depart Old Trafford for Serie A giants Inter, leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer short on proven goal-getters.
That is a concern for 1999 Treble winner Scholes, who is not convinced that that the options left on the Red Devils’ books are capable of making the club competitive when it comes to bids for top-four finishes and major silverware.
The ex-England international added: “It is a worry for me, the centre-forward position.
“They have got players like [Marcus] Rashford and [Anthony] Martial, [Mason] Greenwood, but are they really No.9s?
“We have to wait and see. I think they are flipping between being a wide player and being a centre forward.
“They are yet to prove they can score 25-30 goals a season.”
United will get the chance to prove that they do have enough firepower at their disposal when they open their 2019-20 Premier League campaign with a testing home date against Chelsea on Sunday.