Erik ten Hag 'wanted to make shock move for former Man United striker' last season in an effort to strengthen his attack... and urged the star would be an 'excellent' signing

Sacked Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was reportedly keen to turn to an 'ex-United centre-forward' to boost his side's faltering frontline last season.

The Dutchman was finally dismissed on Monday after months of speculation, during which time the Old Trafford outfit slumped to 14th in the Premier League .

Things came to a head last week as United continued their woeful Europa League campaign with a chaotic 1-1 draw against Jose Mourinho 's Fenerbahce before succumbing to a last-minute defeat to West Ham on Sunday.

The Red Devils' woes have been influenced significantly by their misfiring attack, with the side stuck on just eight goals from nine league matches, their lowest at this stage since their relegation season in 1973-74.

This was not lost on the departing ten Hag who wanted to sign former United man Danny Welbeck from Brighton over the summer, The Athletic reports.

The striker's contract was set to run out at the end of the 2023-24 season so he could have moved back to Old Trafford on a free transfer .

But the uncertainty surrounding ten Hag's position, which later seemed to be settled as United handed him a two-year contract extension, put paid to his dreams of signing the 'excellent' 33-year-old.

Dan Ashworth, current United sporting director, might have proved valuable in pushing the move through but was prevented from acting for the club until they had agreed compensation with his previous employers Newcastle.

Welbeck was born in Longsight, Manchester, and joined the Red Devils at the age of 11 before playing 142 times for the club, twice winning the Premier League under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

He then made the switch to Arsenal in 2014, where he scored 32 goals in 126 appearances, and ended up at Brighton in 2020, via a one-year stint at Watford.

Ten Hag's first Premier League game in charge of United was a 2-1 defeat to the Seagulls where Welbeck impressed for Graham Potter's men.

He has continued to turn up against his old side, scoring the opening goal in his team's 3-1 dismantling of the Red Devils in September 2023 before bagging another against them in a 2-1 win this camapaign.

The outgoing Dutch manager rated Welbeck as a fine replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who was booted early in his reign, and France international Anthony Martial, who was allowed to leave last summer.

Ten Hag is believed to have rated the former England international's experience and his physical shape but the striker ended up signing a new two-year contract with the south coast side in May.

The lack of a free-scoring no9 has cost United this season with the team missing 22 of their 27 big chances this season, a figure matched only by Tottenham Hotspur.

Ten Hag's marquee signings Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have netted just twice and once this campaign respectively as the youngsters attempt to find their feet in the Premier League.

Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim is being lined up as the next name in the Old Trafford hot seat after Ten Hag was fired earlier this week.

The Portuguese side announced on Tuesday that United plan to pay the €10million (£8.5m) release clause to buy Amorim out of his contract.