Ruben Amorim braced for transfer blow ahead of Man Utd's Premier League opener

Manchester United have been busy in the window after signing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, but neither player operates as a No.9 and the Red Devils are preparing to start the season without a new striker

Manchester United are prepared to start the new season without a new striker leading their attack.

A striker was United's priority in this summer's transfer window, after scoring just 44 goals in the Premier League last season as they finished 15th – their lowest placing for 51 years.

But United's only two arrivals so far have been £62.5million signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £71m, neither of whom operate as a No.9.

United have seen their top striker targets go elsewhere this summer – Liam Delap joined Chelsea, Viktor Gyokeres is closing in on a move to Arsenal, while Hugo Ekitike is Liverpool-bound.

Against that backdrop, senior figures at United have privately confided there is every chance they will start their Premier League opener at home to Arsenal on August 17 without a new striker.

United retain an interest in Paris St Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, who was on their radar two years ago when they eventually paid a grossly inflated fee of £72m for Rasmus Hojlund.

The Red Devils could also do a swap deal involving winger Alejandro Garnacho – left out of the US tour squad after asking to leave – and Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, both valued at £40m.

Garnacho wants to stay in the Premier League, with Chelsea his first-choice club, although there is a reluctance at United to sell him to a domestic rival in a move that could ultimately backfire.

Jackson has been pushed down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the arrival of Delap from Ipswich and Joao Pedro from Brighton, both of whom are ahead of him in terms of selection.

United are focusing their transfer business this summer on players with proven Premier League experience who do not require a settling in period but who can hit the ground running.

That approach has been underlined by their successful moves for Cunha and Mbeumo, with Jackson a viable option that would solve two problems - recruiting a new striker and offloading Garnacho.

United's players trained on the hottest day of the year in Chicago on Wednesday, where temperatures reached 95F as Amorim's squad were put through their paces. It is set to be a similar story on Thursday, with the heatwave continuing, as United's players train at Soldier Field, home of NFL side Chicago Bears.