Harry Diamond
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still targeting as many as five new additions to his Manchester United squad as his rebuild of the club continues this summer.
Manchester United are expected to be busy in the summer market with the Red Devils amongst the few clubs with the resources to capitalise on the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, their list of prospective targets believed to include the likes of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish.
Solskjaer’s side have enjoyed a strong second half to the season and need just a point from their crucial final-day meeting with Leicester to secure Champions League qualification, with a confirmed return to Europe’s elite likely to bolster their ability to spend in the transfer market.
According to the Telegraph though, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and assistant Mike Phelan initially identified the need to make nine signings when they first arrived in 2018, with only Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Dan James and Bruno Fernandes joining the club since.
United have played 10 games in just over a month since the Premier League’s restart, largely relying on an almost unchanged line up in recent weeks – a situation which has led lacklustre performances against both Chelsea and West Ham – the Telegraph believing the scenario is an indication of the lack of faith Solskjaer has amongst his back up options.
Solskjaer is said to be keen to sign a new centre-back, midfielder and forward, whilst an additional full-back could also be on the agenda given a lack of options amid Luke Shaw’s ongoing ankle injury.
Meanwhile, David de Gea’s recent issues in goal also potentially represents a problem, though the club may feel either Sergio Romero or returning loanee Dean Henderson can fill their goalkeeping void should the Spaniard’s performances fail to improve.
Solskjaer made just two substitutions during the game against West Ham, with Odion Ighalo only being introduced to the fray in the 85th minute, while the likes of Scott McTominay, Fred, Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira and Dan James have all been used sparingly since the restart.
The riches of Europe’s elite may prove vital in Solskjaer’s ability to construct a side capable of bridging the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City, with even United’s considerable wealth unlikely to stretch much further than a British transfer-record deal for Sancho in the current climate.
The arrival of the England international would add a new dimension to the Red Devils’ exciting looking forward line, though his signing would take a huge chunk out of their transfer budget and funds may need to be raised through player sales.
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