Neville takes aim at scattergun approach to transfer targets

GARY NEVILLE vented his frustration at Manchester United’s lack of direction in the transfer market following their deadline-day signing of Odion Ighalo.

United completed the surprise six-month loan signing of the former Watford striker from Shanghai Shenhua after failing with a bid for Bournemouth’s Josh King.

Former captain Neville admitted he was alarmed at United’s scattergun approach on transfer deadline day and says it is a clear sign of a lack of organisation behind the scenes.

‘They needed some players in,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘It’s a desperate situation in midfield.

Bruno Fernandes was needed, hopefully he’ll settle in straight away. Ighalo, they just needed a body in there. I can’t let the club off the hook, though.

‘They’ve had nine months to sign a striker but the fact the club were in that position knowing Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku were leaving for many months shows you that United are struggling to navigate the transfer market.

‘I spoke to a few fans and they said they weren’t going to walk out but if Wolves take the lead it will get moody. If it’s like that today then it’s not good.’

United made a £20million bid for their former academy graduate King but saw it rejected by Bournemouth, with the Cherries branding the offer a ‘joke’ and demanding it be doubled.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer then admitted he did not expect the club to secure a deadline-day deal for a striker until an 11th hour move for Ighalo.

The 30-year-old, who grew up as a fan of the club, secured a dream move to Old Trafford just before the transfer window slammed shut on Friday night.

Ighalo enjoyed a successful three-year spell at Watford, where he scored 40 goals and made 11 assists in 100 games before moving to China in a £22m deal in 2017.