Manchester United are scrambling to sign a striker to answer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s SOS before Friday's transfer deadline after completing a deal for Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon.

United announced on Thursday that Fernandes had signed a five and a half year contract, with the option of a further 12 months, after passing a medical in a deal that could potentially rise to £67.7 million.

But Solskjaer is pushing United’s hierarchy to deliver a striker on loan or permanently before the window closes at Friday 11pm after losing his top goalscorer, Marcus Rashford, for months with a double stress fracture in his back.

Tottenham and Chelsea are also on urgent look out for a striker given injuries to Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham respectively.

Solskjaer is worried about his side’s lack of firepower and made no secret of their need for more goals in a very public call for attacking reinforcements after the 1-0 win over Manchester City in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday but time is running out for the club to strengthen their forward line.

Anthony Martial has just two goals in eight matches since the turn of the year and Solskjaer’s only other recognised, available striker is 18-year-old Mason Greenwood. Rashford’s injury has compounded the disappointment of being snubbed earlier month by Norway striker, Erling Haaland, who opted to join Borussia Dortmund instead.

United have been offered a host of forwards, including former Watford striker Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani at Paris St Germain and Leicester flop Islam Slimani, who is currently on loan at Monaco.

Atletico Madrid and Chelsea were also interested in Cavani but, as of Thursday night, the Uruguay striker’s hopes of securing a move away from the French champions appeared to be fading.

Ighalo, 30, is currently with Shanghai Shenhua but the start of the Chinese Super League season has been delayed indefinitely by the coronavirus outbreak and he is eyeing a return to Europe after leaving Watford in 2017. Olivier Giroud would be available if Chelsea manage to sign a striker such as Napoli’s Dries Mertens

United have distanced themselves from moves for the former Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon, and Belgium winger Yannick Carassco, who both play for Chinese club Dalian Yifang.

Fernandes has at least provided Solskjaer with some much needed support in midfield and the Portuguese says he will draw inspiration from his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo’s success at Old Trafford.