The departures of Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao over the summer mean the goalscoring burden falls firmly on Wayne Rooney at Manchester United once more. Manager Louis van Gaal talked up the possibility of signing a "surprise" striker before the transfer window comes to a close, and while that may still come to fruition; United, at the time of writing, head into the season with Rooney as the primary frontman.
Supporters, though, needn't be too downbeat about it. While the prospect of signing a big-name frontman is enough to excite fans, there is the chance it will backfire: Roberto Soldado's move to Tottenham in 2013 for a then-club-record £26m a case in point, with limited options available at present. And besides, in Rooney, Van Gaal has himself a striker who is more than capable of finding the net on a consistent basis.
Since signing from Everton in 2004, only twice has the England international been handed the opportunity to consistently spearhead the United offensive, coming in the 2009-10 (26 league goals) and 2011-12 seasons (27 goals), his two most prolific in a United shirt. In fact, 74 of the 105 league goals Rooney has scored in the last six seasons have come when he has started as a centre forward.
Without competition from Van Persie or Falcao now, though, Rooney has his chance stake a claim for a regular starting berth as lead marksman, which he can be expected to take. Four of his 12 goals and three of his five assists in the Premier League last season came with the Englishman as the focal point of the United attack. It's fairly obvious that Van Gaal needs to have Rooney lead the charge, especially in a season where United are expected to challenge for the title, given the money spent this summer.
Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Matteo Darmian and Morgan Schneiderlin have each arrived at Old Trafford, though it is the signing of Depay that could help bring out the best in Rooney. The Dutchman caught the eye in the Netherlands last season and United acted swiftly to secure his services, confirming an agreement had been reached for the player back in May once PSV had wrapped up the Eredivisie.
Depay has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting talents in Europe and it was little surprise he was keen to link up with Van Gaal once more. The current United boss handed the 21-year-old his national team debut for the Oranje back in 2013, so Van Gaal clearly has plenty of trust in the former PSV star. His faith in Depay is certainly being rewarded if his performances in preseason are anything to go by.
Both Depay and Rooney have linked up exceptionally well in the friendlies leading up to the campaign, heightening expectations as the Premier League nears its return. Given Van Gaal has talked up the possibility of utilising a 4-3-3 formation in the upcoming season, the possibility of a front three of Depay, Rooney and Juan Mata -- at least unless Pedro, as rumoured, moves United -- is enough to leave the United faithful salivating.
The pressure on Rooney is higher than it has ever been. The England international endured his fair share of critics last season, but his performances as the lead marksman suggest he is more than capable of shouldering the responsibility. He was United's leading goalscorer with 12 goals last season, despite making only 14 starts in attack, which, in an ever changing system, was a respectable return.
If the preseason performances can be carried into the new season, Van Gaal appears set on an approach that enables his best players to perform to the highest standard. With Rooney currently established as the lead striker and spearheading United's charge, the upcoming campaign could be a very productive one for the England international as he looks to enjoy his most prolific campaign to date.When deployed as centre forward for Manchester United, Wayne Rooney has flourished.
