“That type of profile is not Martial” - Louis Saha explains what kind of striker Manchester United must sign to replace Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United remains up in the air, with the Portuguese still likely to depart Old Trafford if a suitable offer comes in before the transfer window shuts. Amid the speculation, former Red Devils forward Louis Saha has described the type of striker the club needs to sign as a replacement for the Portuguese.

It is worth noting that a significant number of Manchester United fans have started looking at life after Cristiano Ronaldo as he remains bent on leaving the club this summer. One player that has gotten the attention of the supporters in recent weeks is Anthony Martial, who looks primed for a major role at the club this season.

Although the Frenchman has what it takes to make an impression and even showed glimpses of his brilliance in pre-season, Louis Saha believes that his lack of consistency means that the club can't rely on him to lead them in attack. He told talkSPORT:

"I think it would be a combination. Anthony is a great player but I don't think that he doesn't give you the guarantee of 25 goals because there are some games where the player that we know needs a bit more aggression to himself. He's got all the qualities, you can see it. He came on [against Liverpool] and he reacted well, recovered balls, and managed to get that great pass to Rashford."

"He's got the qualities, there is no doubt about it. But it's about consistency and I think that's why they're maybe looking for another striker option if Ronaldo is leaving."

Speaking about Ronaldo's potential replacement, Saha urged Manchester United to sign a player with a killer instinct similar to former United striker Van Nistelrooy. He said:

"Definitely there is a need of like a 'killer' up front, someone who is actually going to have that kind of anger like a Van Nistelrooy type, where those guys are there for the tap-ins, the scrappy goals, the thing that is going to make the team breathe when they really need it because they have one chance in a game. That type of profile is not Martial."

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has struggled to find a new club

Has the five-time Ballon d'Or winner reached the end of the road at Manchester United?

It is very difficult to predict Ronaldo's next destination. The attacker is determined to leave Old Trafford but is finding it difficult to attract suitors, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid all ruling out signing Ronaldo in recent weeks.

The Portuguese's boyhood club Sporting Lisbon are back in the Champions League. However, it is unlikely that the attacker will return to Portugal at this stage of his career as he is still eager to compete at the top.