Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will conduct his search for a big-name goalscorer this summer against the backdrop of two statistics that highlight his squad’s startling lack of firepower.

With United safe in fourth place in the Barclays Premier League and one qualifying tie away from a return to the Champions League next season, there has been an air of satisfaction around Old Trafford as Van Gaal’s debut campaign drew to a close. In the end, United made it over the line with something to spare.

However, the scale of the task ahead of United’s veteran Dutch coach as he tries to make up ground between his squad and that of champions Chelsea is placed in stark context by analysis of his team’s struggles in front of goal.

Radamel Falcao (left) was not kept on by Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (right) after his loan

Van Gaal speaks with Wayne Rooney (right) who was the club's top goalscorer in all competitions this season

United managed to finish fourth in Van Gaal's first season despite a meagre total by the club's high standards

United’s tally of 62 league goals — two fewer than under David Moyes — is the club’s second lowest total in the 23 years of the Premier League. Only 2004-05’s tally of 58 has been worse.

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney’s record of 14 goals in all competitions this season places him as United’s top scorer. Records indicate, however, that the last time United’s top scorer returned such a modest total was a staggering 33 years ago in 1982 when Frank Stapleton scored just 13.

Though some statistics can be misleading, these are remarkable and will shock United supporters.

A look across the Premier League, for example, reveals that Rooney’s total of 12 Premier League goals was matched by the likes of Graziano Pelle at Southampton and beaten by Christian Benteke at Aston Villa, QPR’s Charlie Austin and West Brom’s Saido Berahino as well as the familiar big-name strikers at Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Nobody can blame Rooney, of course.

Frank Stapleton runs at Wembley in 1983 and scored 19 goals in all competitions after his 13 the year before

Ruud van Nistelrooy (left) and Eric Cantona are among those who feature in the top goalscorer list

Dwight Yorke pictured celebrating a goal for Manchester United in November 1998 at Old Trafford

Rooney spent much of the season in a deeper midfield role yet managed to top the scoring charts

MANCHESTER UNITED'S TOP GOALSCORERS EVERY SEASON Advertisement

The United captain was not even deployed as a centre forward for the whole of the season and endured a dreadful spell playing in midfield after Christmas when he didn’t manage a shot on goal for a number of weeks.

Rather, the numbers merely indicate the clear lack of incisiveness and forward thrust from a United squad that included such feted attacking players as Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao, Juan Mata, Angel di Maria and Ander Herrera.

Van Gaal began his time at Old Trafford talking about his desire to play with two centre forwards and a No 10.

His challenge this summer is to recruit the players he feels he needs to make his team more creative, especially given that the Champions League will increase the number of games his key players are required to play.

As Sportsmail has reported previously, United have considered moves for Danny Ings at Burnley and Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

Neither move has really got off the ground, however, while interest in Raheem Sterling at Liverpool will simply never harden given the history between the two clubs.

United will move for Gareth Bale if and when he is made available for sale from Real Madrid while the purchase of Dutch wide man Memphis Depay has already provided Van Gaal with greater strength in depth.

These players, however, cannot be relied upon to score the goals that United need and it would appear inconceivable that the club will challenge for the title next season without buying a prolific and reliable goalscorer.

Van Gaal is determined to challenge for the title but reiterated on MUTV that he needs to spend money to achieve that.

‘I’m afraid that the board shall say, “Now we have to battle for the championship”. I think it is a fantastic challenge but that is dependable on how we can purchase very good players and how we can improve the balance in our selection. In every position you need two players who can play.

‘The board has purchased me to win title and my curriculum vitae says that. Of course I want to win titles. We shall fight to the end and I shall give everything in me to build a new championship winning team.’

Raheem Sterling to Manchester United would be unlikely to come off given the rivalry between the clubs

Manchester United have considered moves for Tottenham’s Harry Kane (left) and Burnley's Danny Ings

Manchester United will move for Gareth Bale if and when he is made available for sale from Real Madrid

AN UNWANTED RECORD Sammy McIlroy and Lou Macari hit just six goals each in 1973-74 - the lowest by a Manchester United leading scorer Advertisement

In terms of the players he already has, Van Gaal is all but certain to retain Van Persie. The 31-year-old earns £240,000 a week and is not keen to uproot his children from school in Cheshire.

There has, meanwhile, been talk inside Old Trafford of turning Adnan Januzaj into a central player. This, however, is more likely to be a No 10 ‘second striker’ rather than a through-the-middle target man.

And what about the man many expect to leave Old Trafford? Well, Van Gaal admits David de Gea has played a key role this season, though that surprised him.

‘He has saved us at different times in different matches. In the beginning I was not so sure of him. But now he is fantastic.’

Van Gaal is all-but certain to keep Robin van Persie (right) unlike the recently departed Falcao