Wayne Rooney will be Manchester United’s main centre-forward this season, with Louis van Gaal clear there is no longer a need for the four-striker model that has brought the club so much success.

Rooney is the only proven finisher in the manager’s squad but Van Gaal is unconcerned because he wants goals to come from all areas. Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie have left Old Trafford and though James Wilson and Javier Hernández are still in the squad they have struggled to establish themselves. Yet Van Gaal is relaxed regarding recruiting another frontline finisher because of how he hopes the side will play and his faith in Rooney, despite him scoring only 12 Premier League goals last season.

Van Gaal is targeting Barcelona’s Pedro, a forward who would be able to play across the attack of the manager’s planned 4-3-3 formation. If the Spaniard did arrive he would be expected to complement Rooney, Memphis Depay, Wilson and Hernández. The latter is to be given a chance to prove himself when he joins the club’s tour of America on 25 July after resting following the Copa América.

While Van Gaal would be open to buying a striker should he vastly increase scoring options, Rooney is to be the focal point of attack. There would be no issue with him being the only high-profile centre-forward in the squad as Van Gaal believes the rest of his side will contribute. Depay, who was the top scorer in PSV’s Eredivisie title win last season, will be tried as a central striker.

United’s previous success has been based on having four top-line finishers. Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1999 and 2008 Champions League winning teams each had a quartet of marksmen. The European Cup triumph of 16 years ago featured Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. In 2008 the trophy was claimed with Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Louis Saha available to Ferguson.

Last season Van Gaal had Rooney, Van Persie, Falcao and Wilson as his four. “We still have Rooney, he can play in the striker’s position, and all the media had written [he can] play there so I listened. Also Chicharito [Hernández] and maybe Wilson,” said Van Gaal, who hinted at a further addition. “Maybe there comes a surprise.”

Of Hernández, who was on loan at Real Madrid last season, he said: “Chicharito is coming on 25 July – he can prove himself again. Now Falcao and Van Persie are gone so his chances are better.”

In the 1-0 victory over Club América in Seattle, Depay was deployed as a No10 behind Rooney. “Wayne coached me a lot through the game and talked to me about which position I should take and when to defend,” the Dutchman told manutd.com. “We have to form a duo and I have the right feeling with him.

“The manager said congratulations on my debut; he was happy for me. He expects much more from me as well and that’s important for me to work on. I had some moments and some passes but I expect more from myself. I’ll keep focused and keep training hard.”