Man Utd dropped the ball with Arnautovic

FT Desk

• Updated: 23 Oct 2022 15:28 BST
• 4 min read

Marko Arnautovic could have been leading the line for Manchester United this season. Instead he is top-scoring in Serie A for Bologna.

Erik ten Hag identified Arnautovic as a potential target on his arrival at Old Trafford this summer, the seen as a talented but viable cut-price striker who would inject some energy into his Man Utd attack.

But Red Devils fans reportedly inundated United Chief Executive Richard Arnold with complaints about the proposed transfer, accusing the club of short-termism with the player having turned 33 in April.

In the end, Arnautovic stayed put at Bologna, while Ten hag has had to work out other solutions at centre-forward.

Ronaldo - scorer of 18 goals last season - clearly isn't it for Ten Hag, and he was left out of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea having refused to come on as a substitute in last Wednesday's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Marcus Rashford, who has long since discovered his best position is cutting in from the left, has invariably been used as United's No.9 this season, and he has a fair return of three goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, but it took defensive midfielder Casemiro to snatch a draw in the 94th minute against the Blues this weekend.

Arnautovic keeps scoring

Arnautovic, meanwhile, was scoring his Serie A-high seventh goal of the season as Bologna hosted Lecce at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

Bologna began the day just one place and two points above the relegation zone, but Arnautovic simply keeps finding the target, and has had a goal-involvement every 109 minutes he has played despite playing to a struggling team.

With Ronaldo looking ever more likely to leave United - be it as part of a swap deal with Atletico Madrid for Joao Felix or a reunification with David Beckham and Phil Neville at Inter Miami - Rashford will continue to lead the line this season, especially with Anthony Martial's injury record.

That costs United a winger, and some welcome competition for Antony and, in particular, Jadon Sancho, and is a completely unnecessary state of affairs.

United fans should have let their manager do his job this summer. Arnautovic is making that case plain.