Quinton Fortune has urged Manchester United to sign a new striker before the summer transfer window closes to support Benjamin Sesko, and believes Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson could be the answer.
Sesko's mixed first season
Sesko endured a mixed first season at Old Trafford following his £73m move from RB Leipzig last summer, scoring 12 goals in 32 appearances. The Slovenia international struggled in the first half of the campaign but improved after Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in the United hot-seat.
Whether Sesko is the long-term answer for Manchester United remains to be seen, with Michael Owen recently admitting he had 'doubts' that will prove to be the case.
Fortune's call for another striker
Ex-United defender Fortune says Carrick 'needs another striker' to 'push for the Premier League and play in the Champions League' and has named Jackson as an 'option'. Jackson is being linked with a permanent move away from Chelsea after spending last season on loan at Bayern Munich. Aston Villa and Newcastle United have both made approaches for the Senegal international, who Chelsea value at £65m, and Fortune believes Manchester United should also consider a move.
'I think United need another striker because I think Benjamin Sesko scored 12 goals last season and Bruno Fernandes got nine,' Fortune told Premier Bet. 'The team needs more but we do have to remember that Sesko is still a young player with a big responsibility coming to United and having to carry the team up front by himself.
'In my time, we were very fortunate to have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. Then Ruud Van Nistelrooy came later and Wayne Rooney, and a youngster could come into the team and look up to Van Nistelrooy or Andy Cole or Dwight Yorke or Teddy Sheringham.
'Benjamin Sesko is having to do all that himself, and what if he picks up an injury?
'So United need another striker, and if you are pushing for the Premier League and playing in the Champions League, you need a bigger squad.'
Jackson as an option
Fortune, who won the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson, added: 'Nicolas Jackson is an option for Manchester United. He's coming off his loan at Bayern Munich and keeps getting clubs so he must have something.
'I see him as more of a goal poacher. If you look at the purest of the pure footballers, he's not a striker to bring it down and play it like Dimitar Berbatov or Wayne Rooney or Dwight Yorke but that's what I like about him too.
'He's just an out-an-out striker. He doesn't really care about anything else apart from getting into the box and getting on the end of whatever service he's provided, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's still the hardest part of the game.
'He's almost like Erling Haaland at times and he shouldn't get involved in the play so much. Tell the other guys they can do all the hard work and I'll score the goals.
'Whether he's right for United, I don't know about that, but you don't play for Chelsea and Bayern Munich if you haven't got something about you.
'I just think United need a little bit more. I do like Nicolas Jackson but think United need the best of the best.
'If you're going to buy a top-top striker, you must go and buy Erling Haaland or Harry Kane. Just be absolutely ruthless. Sign the player. Get them in the box. Give me the goals. No nonsense.'
