Critics are lauding the canny loan move secured by Sir Alex Ferguson that will bring former Celtic and Barcelona striker Henrik Larsson to Old Trafford on a three-month loan. Larsson, currently under contract with Helsingborg, will fly to England on Jan. 1 to join the Red Devils until March 12. It’s a savvy move because the Swedish season just ended; the new campaign doesn’t begin until mid-March. Larsson whom many regard as the greatest Swedish player of all time, will provide valuable backup to Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney. Ferguson said it had become obvious after the injuries sustained by Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that United could not hope to maintain a successful title quest with just three strikers. Indeed, without the other two, Rooney was left alone up top against Everton on Wednesday. Nevertheless, the Red Devils managed to pull away with a 3-0 victory. However, the addition of Larsson, 35, coupled with the imminent return of Giuseppe Rossi from his loan spell with Newcastle, means United will be stocked with strikers for the crucial second half of the season. Ferguson added that the Swede’s arrival signals the end of his search for another striker this season. Said Larsson: “I probably won’t play every match from the start, but for me it feels like a very fun thing to contribute at such a late stage in my career.”