Rio Ferdinand Questions Manchester United's Striker Shortage After Hull Defeat
Rio Ferdinand has questioned whether Manchester United have left themselves short up front after their shock defeat to Hull City, asking if the club can still afford a marquee striker signing like Ollie Watkins.
Speaking on his YouTube channel in the aftermath of the loss, the former United defender turned the spotlight on Michael Carrick’s recruitment priorities and the club’s remaining transfer budget.
“The big question is, does United’s budget stretch to go and get an Ollie Watkins or someone like that now?”
Ferdinand asked, wondering if a major move for a frontline star has effectively been priced out by spending elsewhere.
United have poured most of their resources into midfield this summer. Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba have all arrived, reshaping the centre of the pitch but leaving the forward line looking light on proven, peak-age firepower.
That imbalance felt even sharper after the Hull defeat. £73m striker Benjamin Sesko was left on the bench, with Matheus Cunha preferred to lead the line. The decision raised eyebrows, and Ferdinand made it clear he sees Sesko as central to United’s plans.
“The importance of Benjamin Sesko is huge, especially going to a place like that. You need him in the team and I’m interested to see how he does this season in that sense,”
he said, underlining how pivotal the Slovenian could become if United are to justify their outlay.
Ferdinand’s frustration did not stop there. He also lamented what he views as a missed opportunity in the market, pointing to Danny Welbeck’s move to Stamford Bridge as a deal United should have been all over.
“If Danny Welbeck was on the market, and he clearly was, that’s one who Man United should have gone for because he could still have had an important role to play despite being happy to be on the bench at this stage of his career,”
Ferdinand argued.
Welbeck would not have been a glamour signing, but in Ferdinand’s eyes he offered something United currently lack: a reliable squad forward, content with a supporting role yet capable of stepping in without the team’s level dropping.
While United wrestle with those what-ifs, Watkins continues to hammer home his value at Aston Villa. Since joining from Brentford in 2020, he has scored 108 goals in all competitions, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent and ruthless forwards. That kind of output is exactly what Ferdinand believes United are missing.
So the dilemma is clear. United have rebuilt the middle of the park, but at a cost. With the budget stretched and proven strikers commanding premium fees, the club may now have to rely on Sesko justifying his price tag and Cunha finding a ruthless edge, rather than parachuting in a ready-made Watkins-level finisher.
If that gamble fails, the questions Ferdinand is asking now will only grow louder as the season wears on.
