Pedro will complete Manchester United - he's the missing part of the jigsaw

Jim White says the signing of Pedro will correct the one glaring problem which remains with Louis van Gaal'sManchester United team.

The pattern, or rather, as he prefers to call it, the process is becoming ever clearer. Louis van Gaal may have spent an awful lot of money, but it is more apparent by the day what he is hoping to do at Manchester United. He is beginning to assemble a side which perfectly fits his way of doing things: organised, fluid, playing to a pre-arranged pattern.

His signings this summer have been excellent. Morgan Schneiderlin,Bastian Schweinsteiger, Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian and Sergio Romero have all addressed long-standing issues in the squad. He is beginning to get proper cover in most positions (though centre-back and centre-forward remain extant). He has what looks like a squad capable of challenging for honours.

Still, when you work out his likely starting XI, there is one area where he is short. Say the team lines up thus: De Gea (assuming he stays, if not Romero); Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Carrick; Mata, Schweinsteiger, Depay; Rooney – the shortcoming is obvious. And it isn’t the lack of a starting position for Marouane Fellaini. Schneiderlin, Carrick, Mata, Schweinsteiger, Rooney: it is a core of intelligence, craft, power and agility. But what it is not is one blessed with pace. Which means Van Gaal needs to add someone of real speed to advance on the breakaway.