Manchester United need a better striker than Wayne Rooney, insists Ruud Gullit

Ruud Gullit has urged Manchester United to sign a striker this summer as he does not think Wayne Rooney has the credentials to play as the lone man up front.

The striker is yet to open his account for the Red Devils after three games in the season but Gullit believes that his propensity to come searching for the ball in midfield is disadvantageous to the shape of the team.

The former Dutch player believes that United need a striker who can make runs off the last defender and collect balls in the penalty box for them to have a goalscoring threat.

"You can see the team does not have a proper striker," said Gullit, as quoted by the Mirror.

"Wayne Rooney? He is not a real striker. Rooney wants to be involved in the play, but he cannot be the only man up front.

"Against Bruges, in a way he was struggling, but only because of the position he was put in. As a result, we have to conclude that, as long as Rooney is in that position, the team are playing without a real striker.

"Rooney tries hard - you can never fault him for his work-rate - but he's continually searching during the game.

"This is why the team needs a player who stays up there all the time," he added.

The retired midfielder also had reservations about United's pursuit of Pedro, stating that they already have Memphis Depay and do not need someone of the same ilk down the flanks. The Barcelona winger's move to United has broken down, as reported by the BBC, after Chelsea made a move for the winger and the player is due to have a medical at Stamford Bridge late August.

Depay scored two goals against Club Brugge in the qualifying round of the Champions League and should have had a hat-trick when Rooney made a brilliant lay-off inside the penalty box, only for him to flash it over the bar.

"They, the fans in Manchester, already have the winger they wanted [in Memphis Depay], so why sign Pedro?

"You can hear the buzz in the stadium when Memphis gets on the ball and starts his run. They realise something exciting could happen."