Manchester United transfer news: New forward is the club’s top priority, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Injuries to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have left Solskjaer without a fit, established striker

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that Manchester United’s next priority in the transfer market will be a forward, with a move possible in the forthcoming January window.

United allowed both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to join Internazionale this summer - the former permanently, the latter on loan - without signing replacements.

Injuries to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have since left United without an fit, established striker.

Mason Greenwood, the 17-year-old academy product, may be forced to make the second Premier League start of his career against Arsenal on Monday night.

Solskjaer has previously admitted United are “one down” in attack, and has now confirmed that United are looking to strengthen in that area of the pitch.

When asked whether a forward could be brought in as soon as January, Solskjaer said: “Of course.

“You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that it's forward that next time we're going to recruit. We're looking for some creativity and goals.”

After Greenwood’s first senior goal against Astana earlier this month, Solskjaer described allowing Lukaku and Sanchez to leave as “the right decision”.

The failure to replace them, however, is not ideal. Talks with Juventus for both Paulo Dybala and later Mario Mandzukic broke down, leaving United with limited options.

Solskjaer conceded that United wanted a new striker this summer, but said: “There were strikers, but they weren't the ones we wanted. We couldn't get the one we wanted.

“If we had the right one, if it was there, we would have. It was time for Rom to go. He knows that. He didn't want to be here. What is the point in having players that don't want to be here?

“And it’s no point getting players in that you're not 100 per cent sure about. When you get players in, you need the right ones that are going to stay here for a longer period.

“That's the long-term thinking we have to show. I cannot think: ‘I need a player because this is my reputation’. No, it's the club.”