Andy Cole has called for Anthony Martial to show more consistency, insisting that he can be devastating as Manchester United's No.9 one week and then struggle the next.
The Frenchman had his best goalscoring season in the last campaign, scoring 23 goals in all competitions to win the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award.
He has improved since joining the club from Monaco in 2015 but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in the market for a centre forward to provide competition and back-up for Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.
Harry Kane has been linked and a striker is still being considered as Solskjaer continues with his rebuild.
And, Cole, who led United’s attack during their Treble-winning campaign of 1999, thinks United would be able to call off their search if Martial could produce top-quality performances on a more consistent basis.
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"If he gives you consistency game in, game out every season I don’t think we’d be having this conversation about whether we need a No 9," Cole told Goal. "One week he can be absolutely fantastic and then another week it’s like 'what happened to him?' It’s like his twin brother is playing.
"I think it’s a mentality thing, I really do. He’s at a good age now, he knows better. He’s a very good player. But he knows he should be doing it week in, week out. At Manchester United there’s no weekends off because everyone wants to beat you."
United’s frontline of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood have gained plenty of plaudits over the last few months as their pace and skill have torn teams apart.
Both Rashford and Greenwood got off the mark for the season when they came off the bench to score in the win against Luton Town on Tuesday night and Cole hopes that will give them all the kickstart they needed.
He added: "I like all of them, especially at the back end of last season. Scoring goals, creating goals for each other, they’re young and dynamic. I don’t think you can ask for much more unless the person you’re looking to bring in is going to take them to the next level as well."
Cole believes a centre-half should be United’s No.1 transfer priority going into the last week of the window, with an attacker also key. And despite the club’s interest in Jadon Sancho, he thinks Greenwood, who has mainly been playing on the right flank, has the ability to make that position his own.
"I think that kid can play where he wants, it’s up to him to make his mind up as to where he wants to play," Cole said. "He plays off the right and can cut in and go on his left or his right. If he wants to be a centre forward it is a tough, tough ask, especially playing for a club like Man United.
"But he’s the only one who knows his best position and if his opportunity to get in the team is on the right... if you’re 18 you’re not going to turn around and say, 'no, I’m a centre-forward.' You will play on the right and he has done well down there, so let’s see what happens."
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