Owen Hargreaves insists Manchester United should have focused on strengthening in midfield before spending so heavily in attacking areas during the summer transfer window.
United spent over £200million ahead of the new campaign with most of that cash spent on bringing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to the club with Senne Lammens arriving in goal on deadline day.
A move for Carlos Baleba was explored but United ultimately shelved their interest with Brighton’s valuation, in the excess of £100million, placing him out of their reach.
United were desperately short of goals last season with only the three relegated clubs and Everton scoring less than them.
Bringing in Cunha and Mbeumo, who scored 15 and 20 top flights goals for Wolves and Brentford last season respectively, was a means to address that problem.
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Ruben Amorim’s side have improved in attack but their struggles in the middle of the park continue with Bruno Fernandes now occupying a deeper midfield role with Cunha and Mbeumo regularly occupying the two no10 roles with Mason Mount also in the equation.
Fernandes’ influence has waned as a result with United also often exposed in midfield transitions.
Former United star Hargreaves believes his old side should have stopped after Cunha when it came to strengthening their options behind the striker, insisting that money should have been spent on a new midfielder.
‘Bruno is their best player by a country mile then they go and sign two no10s to play in his position,’ Hargreaves said, speaking on The Breakdown with TNT Sports.
‘And he has to play as a defensive midfield player almost. I appreciate you needed more goals, they [United] have thought more goals will get us higher up the table than say a world class goalkeeper.
‘But actually, you have the best no10 in the division with Cole Palmer, and you drop him [deeper] because you want someone to play through midfield because you have Cunha and Mbeumo.
‘So why didn’t you just sign a central midfield player to play there and let Bruno do his thing with Cunha? Then a goalkeeper. It would have fixed a lot of issues.’
Victory over Sunderland before the international break lifted United up to 10th place.
They head to Anfield to take on Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.