Cristiano Ronaldo is forcing Manchester United to change the transfer plans they laid out last month

It was only last month that John Murtough addressed Manchester United fans on the club's plans for the January transfer window, and already he might need to change them. The United football director has become the face of transfer business at the club in the last year, openly attaching quotes to press releases parading new signings and holding behind-the-scenes meetings with key figures to try and get deals done.

It was also Murtough's job to discuss transfer plans at the latest fans' forum, where he warned that spending would be lower next year and that the focus was on summer business rather than in the mid-season.

The January window typically exposes poorly run clubs, particularly if they head into the month in search of a key player for a starting role.

In United's case, it highlights the desperate ones instead. After a summer of record spending, they are making steps in the right direction, but hoped to delay addressing their striker issue until next summer.

Erik ten Hag was always aware that his team was lacking in attack, with Anthony Martial and Cristiano Ronaldo his only genuine strikers, and Marcus Rashford viewed as someone who could supplement the position when needed.

The Dutchman has also toyed with the idea of utilising a false nine in certain matches, though he has had little success when experimenting with Antony and Christian Eriksen in that role already this season.

At the same time, United have two promising youngsters in the shape of Youth Cup winning duo Charlie McNeill and Joe Hugill, both highly rated by club coaches, though United are wary of exposing them to the limelight at such a young age.

The dilemma is that this side already looks like it might be a world-class striker away from reaching the next level. Wednesday's win over Tottenham highlighted the huge potential of the team, but if they were more lethal in front of goal, then United would have recorded an emphatic victory by a much greater margin.

“We always said that reshaping the squad would take more than a window, and we’re already working with Erik on the next steps in that process, with a focus on next summer and beyond," Murtough stated last month. “But it’s important to recognise that investment must always be sustainable, meaning that what we spend on players must be supported by revenues over the long-term.

“We ended the summer slightly ahead of where we expected to be in terms of the number of players brought in, so we don’t anticipate the same level of activity in future windows, although we will continue to strengthen.”

It is no secret that United hoped to make it until the end of the season, but in light of the latest Ronaldo saga, those plans may need to be altered, assuming the right player can be found.

The other problem is that selling clubs are in such a strong position when it comes to the January window. Key players can be sold at an inflated premium, meaning there is little to no value for money to be had unless United take a gamble on a relative unknown.

It means that if United dip into the mid-season market for a new striker, then they'll either have to move for someone out of favour at their current club, take a risk on an unproven talent or even move for someone without a club.

That in turn raises the question: is it even worth buying in January to solve a short-term issue if they are not the ideal long-term target for the club? Surely, it makes sense to buy once properly rather than to buy now with the intention of buying again in the near future.

When you look at it that way, there is no clear answer to United's dilemma. Signing a new striker could be the difference between them achieving their goals this season, though in order to do so they'd likely either get ripped off or have to shop in the bargain bucket.

United need to consider changing those transfer plans at the very least.