UNITED'S goalscoring department is suddenly looking a little
threadbare.
Sir Alex Ferguson's Premiership champions are facing a nail-biting
and expensive summer effort to install a new forward - and
potential sellers are well aware of the Reds' pursuit of more goal
power.
Of course, any attack that contains the world-class talents of
Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo can't be too badly off.
Sir Alex was unable to land a replacement for the prolific
goal-poacher Ruud van Nistelrooy last summer.
But, without the Dutchman, Rooney and Ronaldo bagged 23 goals each
- both personal bests - while Louis Saha contributed 13, Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer 11 and Alan Smith one.
And with the other departments weighing in, United were able to
outshoot all their Premiership rivals to lift the title.
But with pre-season prepartions for the 2007-08 season around a
month away there are more than a few question marks hovering over
the striking ranks.
New signings Nani and Anderson are both attacking players, but the
quartet of Saha, Solskjaer, Smith and Giuseppe Rossi - who spent
most of last season out on loan - are causes for concern.
Saha made only two substitute appearances in United's last 18 games
of the season and scored just one goal in 2007.
His battle with a hamstring injury frustrated the club's fans and
manager alike and his knee injury in training towards the end of
the season ruled him out of the FA Cup Final.
There is now a fear that the French striker may not even be fit in
time for the start of the new term in August.
Solskjaer had another clean-out operation on his creaking knee this
week after suffering discomfort in training with Norway.
The 34-year-old has vowed to return in time for the start of
pre-season training, but has hinted the new campaign could be his
last.
It is now plain to see that the Reds won't be able to rely on their
legend as a regular 90-minute man.
United have told Smith they will not be re-negotiating his contract
as had allegedly been promised.
Though the 26-year-old still has two years left on his current Old
Trafford deal, it is clear the Yorkshireman could be on his way out
with Spurs, Everton, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough all reportedly
interested in paying for his services. The Reds could have the
promising Rossi back from Parma, where he has been on loan since
January.
The 20-year-old scored nine goals in 19 games in Serie A and so
impressed Parma coach Claudio Ranieri that the Italian - who this
week chose to move to Juventus instead of City - is keen on taking
him with him to his new post at the Stadio delle Alpi.
If the Reds allowed that to happen, that would leave Rooney -
backed by Ronaldo and the new signings - as the only recognised,
reliable striker that Fergie can bank on for next season without
some kind of issue hanging over him.
Smith's contract snub and Solskjaer's predicament will not have
gone unnoticed by clubs who have them in their sights.
Ajax's Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Dimitar Berbatov of Spurs and Fernando
Torres (Atletico Madrid) remain the trio most heavily linked with a
move to Old Trafford.
Having secured Nani, who has passed a medical and now requires
internatuional clearance, and Anderson, who is expected to secure a
work permit, as well as Owen Hargreaves early, Fergie will want his
squad fully assembled by the time United's pre-season matches kick
off in July.
The club have so far announced eight games on their warm up
calendar, beginning with three matches on their Far East
tour.
They are : July 17 v Urawa Red Diamonds (A); July 20 v FC Seoul
(A); July 23 v Shenzhen Xiangxue Eisiti (A); August 1 v
Internazionale (H); August 3 v Doncaster (A); August 5 v Chelsea
(Community Shield at Wembley); August 8 v Glentoran (Belfast);
August 8 United XI v Dunfermline (Edinburgh).
Whether Fergie has a new addition by then, or he is waiting to see
how his questionable quartet respond, remains to be seen.