Football
Exclusive: Manchester United Legend Urges Club to Sign Brentford's Ivan Toney
Manchester United legend Brian McClair urges the club to sign Brentford's Ivan Toney to address their goal-scoring struggles.
Image Credits: Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images
Manchester United great Brian McClair is willing the club to sign Brentford hitman Ivan Toney.
The Red Devils struggled for Premier League goals last season with only two players – skipper Bruno Fernandes and striker Rasmus Hojlund – reaching double digits in domestic competition.
Both players finished the season with ten league goals each as the usually reliable Marcus Rashford had a season to forget with just seven goals in the league compared to 17 in the league the previous campaign.
Toney Could Be the Answer to United's Goal-Scoring Struggles
Four-time Premier League winner McClair would love the club to try and do their utmost to sign England hitman Toney, especially after impressive performances – albeit off the bench - at Euro 2024 in Germany.
“I think they’d benefit from signing Ivan Toney,” McClair told SportsBoom.com.
“Maybe they’d benefit from a player who is slightly different like him – and he’s only got a year left on his contract.”
Image Credits: Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images
“The biggest problem for United is scoring goals.”
“Getting him would provide good competition, for me that’s always the best thing.”
“It sharpens your all-round performances and your desire to stay in the team when you’re playing.”
“You only have to look at how many goals they scored last year, it’s very low.”
“Maybe even the converting chances per goal percentage is really low also.”
“And from what I can see, with Hojlund injured they don’t have a number 9.”
Rashford Under Pressure but Never a Prolific Goal Scorer
McClair, 60, enjoyed a distinguished playing career at Old Trafford and won 14 pieces of silverware in his 11 years with the club.
But the former Scotland international striker and midfielder can’t understand why so many people have heaped the pressure on England striker Rashford to get the goals.
Rashford, who scored a career-high 30 goals in the 2022-23 season, was famously dropped by then England manager Gareth Southgate just before Euro 2024.
He scored 22 goals fewer in all competitions last season with his on and off-field problems well-documented.
I’m not sure if everybody is comparing what Marcus did two years ago to every other season because, for me, he’s never been a prolific goal scorer.
Brian McClair
“He has scored more goals in the past, but he’s been out-of-sorts for all sorts of reasons.”
“You would have expected him to hit the target with his opportunity in the Charity Shield, but to fire it so far wide is not great. I’m sure he’ll be disappointed with that.”
“He has to be better and, with some of these new players able to play wide, then there’s going to be more competition for Marcus.”
“Is he performing at the best level in the coaching sessions? Is he performing at the best level in games?”
“But with regards to any players, it’s the best performers who should get to play.”
United finished eighth in the Premier League last season having finished an impressive third place the year prior.
United's Eighth-Place Finish Wasn't Surprising
But McClair, who also enjoyed a successful -year coaching spell at the club after hanging up his playing boots, wasn't surprised with a fall down of five places down the standings.
"Last year I wasn't disappointed with where they finished to be honest," admitted McClair.
"I said they'd probably finish sixth but, for me, they over-achieved in Ten Hag's first season in charge.”
"I still consider it to be a considerable building programme, a big renovation programme still to go on. I think there's too many players in that first-team squad."
*Read Brian McClair's Premier League score predictions for each game week of the Premier League season on Gambling.com
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.