Odion Ighalo's Deadline Day move to Manchester United is proof the club can no longer attract the world's best strikers, according to Eidur Gudjohnsen.
A largely uneventful January transfer window ended with United in a frantic last-gasp search for a striker to bolster their attacking options in the absence of injured England international Marcus Rashford.
Former Watford striker Odion Ighalo eventually emerged as United's answer on loan until the end of the season, having earlier been unsuccessful in signing Erling Braut Haaland, who opted for Borussia Dortmund, and Bournemouth's Joshua King.
Former Chelsea forward Gudjohnsen believes United were always going to struggle to recruit a top calibre striker during the January window.
Asked how far back United have fallen, Gudjohnsen said: "It comes back to the time of the season of this [Ighalo] transfer as well. I don't think any of the best strikers are available."
He added: "I don't think any of the best strikers are eager to join United anymore."
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Ighalo, who has played in China since January 2017, is unlikely to have even been a third-choice target for United.
"He must be the luckiest man! Going to China, being away from Europe nobody seeing him for two and a half years since he was at Watford and then getting a loan move at United," he said.
"Wow. That doesn't happen!
"It says how far behind United are from Liverpool, Manchester City and even Chelsea. They have got a big job ahead.
"They needed somebody in. I think he was not their number one and I would be surprised if he was their number two or three as well.
"He is getting an opportunity and he will definitely get minutes and we will see if he can do it."
Hasselbaink also says United's struggles in the transfer market are even harder to understand after they sold Romelu Lukaku last summer and loaned Alexis Sanchez both to Inter Milan.
He added: "They knew that they needed a new striker for a long time. I don't know how much money that they have but it is Manchester United.
"Why, if you need goals straight away, are you not throwing money at [Danny] Ings for instance? He is flying is at the moment.
"Or [Raul] Jimenez at Wolves - throw money at that. You were in the market for [Erling Braut] Haaland. He chose Dortmund!
Nberto
360
United tried hard to get players during the January window but couldn't because of the difficult nature of the window. Many clubs don't want to let go their players bcos the players for in their game plan
bekkmruz
337
Look who's speaking his former club did not sign anyone this window but busy speaking about other club's business this is a temporary job for aghalo he's there to support Martial, James and Greenhood only think before you talk we always knows that everyone play against United in his career they always say bad things against man u but together we stand GGMU
matcdekpz
304
players should be best player for one club until he moved to next club ( big club) if they never perform they are failures like sanchez ,falco , de Maria , depay ,Torres and many more players not good for there own club when they moved to another club they are performing good De brune , Salah , Diego forlan etc So don’t under estimate any of player in this world
DaMhztourage
186
Everybody delving into Utd's affairs to seek for relevance , however, you all will eat your words when Ighalo starts pumping in goals and assists