Darren Fletcher: Manchester United Can't Let Edinson Cavani Join Chelsea

Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has urged the club not to let Chelsea win the race for Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.

Fletcher spoke about the team's struggles in the transfer market during a recent appearance on Radio 5 Live and said El Matador is needed at Old Trafford, along with Sporting's Bruno Fernandes:

"It's a road they didn't want to go down because they've been down that road before, but it may be needs must at this time.

"Probably a striker as well―Bruno Fernandes and a striker.

"If Cavani's available, and there's talk of him going to Chelsea, Manchester United cannot let Cavani to go to Chelsea.

"I'm not sure whether he is, whether it's Atletico Madrid, but if he's going to Chelsea, there's no way Manchester United can let that happen. They've got to make sure he comes to Old Trafford."

United have yet to make any headline signing during the January transfer window and lost star forward Marcus Rashford to a back injury that will sideline him for several months. That leaves the team low on available forwards, and the likes of Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood don't have extensive track records of leading the line for a top club.

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Cavani does, and he has asked for a transfer, per Andrew Steel of Goal. His mother criticised Les Parisiens in an interview with AS (h/t Goal's Jon Fisher), and a swift resolution seems inevitable.

Atletico Madrid appear the favourites to land the Uruguay international, but the Blues are eyeing a loan deal, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

The 32-year-old has played a minor role for PSG this season because of Mauro Icardi's success since his loan arrival and multiple stints on the sidelines with injury. He bagged 18 goals in just 21 Ligue 1 appearances last season, however, and has been one of Europe's most consistent strikers for years.

He can play in space and even played as a winger when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was his team-mate, but he's at his best as a traditional striker, where he can use his strength and athleticism to beat defenders.

United and Chelsea are battling for a top-four finish in the Premier League, with the latter ahead by six points.