3 areas Manchester United have to strengthen before the transfer window closes

The January transfer window is approaching its end and Manchester United are yet to complete any new signings. The Red Devils have endured a frustrating month on the transfer market so far but fans are hopeful that the last few days can prove to be fruitful.

United's pursuit of playmaker Bruno Fernandes has dragged on, with Sporting Lisbon not budging on their valuation of the Portuguese international. The club have attempted to negotiating a lower price but Sporting are remaining firm, which has resulted in the transfer going cold.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer desperately needs to strengthen his current squad as United currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

United are also still in the UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, so if recruitment goes well, then there is a very good chance of winning some silverware. Their Carabao Cup journey looks set to end soon as they enter the second leg against Manchester City trailing 3-1, however glory in the FA Cup and Europa League is well on the cards.

It is not just poor performances that should concern Solskjaer. The Red Devils have suffered from many injuries to star players this season, which could prove to be crucial for the remainder of the season.

World Cup winner Paul Pogba has missed a majority of the season and top scorer Marcus Rashford has recently been ruled out for an extended period, meaning two of the team's best players in terms of goals and assists are not available for selection.

Midfielder Scott McTominay, who emerged as a surprisingly reliable option for Solskjaer, has also been out of action with an injury so the squad looks to be pretty thin at the moment.

The manager has resorted to using youngsters from the club's academy and they have done very well for themselves whenever they have been handed their chance, but a few more experienced players need to be brought in to help in the push for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Here are three areas that United have to try and strengthen this week:

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#1 Striker

Marcus Rashford was injured in the FA Cup clash with Wolves, leaving a hole in United's attacking options.

United need a new striker. Anthony Martial is currently filling in well for the injured Marcus Rashford but he can't take upon the load of every competition by himself. The Red Devils have been linked with moves for strikers such as Islam Slimani in recent days but a player of real quality needs to be added to the squad.

Paris Saint Germain forward Edinson Cavani is eager to secure a move away from the Ligue 1 giants and could be a good short-term option for United but that's not what Solskjaer needs.

United need a forward who can still compete for a starting role even when Rashford is fully fit and at the moment, Mason Greenwood looks like the most likely player to fill in for the England star.

Whatever happens, United need to ensure that they're well-stocked in attack because strikers win games, and that's exactly what United need to start doing - winning games.

As good as Martial is, he is sometimes guilty of rushing his finishes, such as the great chance at Anfield against Liverpool in the Premier League when he blasted over the crossbar from inside the box.

A calm, physical and clinical forward would be a massive boost for the team.

#2 Attacking midfielder

Andreas Pereira has been ineffective so far this season

Juan Mata is still decent enough to do a job for the Reds, but decent isn't good enough anymore. United need someone of world-class ability to operateas the attacking midfielder.

Andreas Pereira seems to almost let many matches pass him by and opts for the safe options on multiple occasions. The Reds need an attacking midfielder who is not afraid to play a risky forward pass and that's why they've been frenetically chasing Bruno Fernandes.

Martial needs adequate service to score goals and he's not getting that from the likes of Mata and Pereira. When Pogba returns, this could be the ideal position for him because he has everything needed to be successful in this position. Shooting, passing, dribbling and strength are all key qualities to be successful as an attacking midfielder and the Frenchman possesses them all.

However, because of his fitness concerns, someone else needs to be signed and whether it is spending big on a player like Kai Havertz, then so be it. United have struggled to unlock defences this season and this is one of the biggest reasons as to why they've encountered that problem.

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#3 Defensive midfielder

Matic has found it difficult to keep up to pace in midfield.

The Brazilian, Fred has been hugely impressive this season and has partnered well with McTominay and Nemanja Matic when needed. However, United are crying out for a player like Manchester City's Rodri. They need an anchor in the middle of the pitch who can successfully link the team together.

The Reds have looked disjointed on many occasions this season and this is one of the main reasons why. The midfield needs to have a Sergio Busquets type player, who can do the simple things effectively for the team.

There's not many out there who have that talent and the Reds will need to look hard and scout well, but this is definitely an area they need to improve.

Matic is nearing his end and his future at the club is also in doubt, whilst McTominay is out injured, leaving the Reds will only Fred as a natural central midfielder at the moment.

Jose Mourinho did use Phil Jones in defensive midfield on some occasions but he lacks the calmness and composure to succeed in that position.

If United can improve at least one of these areas, then it would be a massive boost for them for the rest of the season. But ideally, all three positions need to be strengthened and with just three days remaining in the transfer window, it could be too little too late.

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