OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER was spot on when he said there could be a number of clubs forced into selling their big players for financial reasons.
Whereas the majority will look to survive first before looking at transfer targets, Manchester United are in a different boat.
Alan Shearer says Harry Kane and Jadon Sancho are perfect signings for Man Utd
Solskjaer and the powers at Old Trafford are determined to keep their momentum going.
And with their financial clout, they are in a good position to take advantage in future transfer markets once football is eventually back.
To get anywhere near where they want to be then they need three, possibly four, big signings.
I understand the talk of Jadon Sancho, I understand the talk of Harry Kane and I certainly understand the talk of Jack Grealish.
Those three are exactly the types they need if they are to compete at the top again.
There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes right now — one being whether United will be in the Champions League next season.
Sitting three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea before the Premier League was suspended, they obviously had a good chance of making it with nine games to play.
Shearer says Jack Grealish is exactly the type of player Man Utd need if they are to compete at the top againCredit: PA:Press Association
When we are talking about players like Kane and Sancho, then that has to be a massive factor in whether the club can attract the best players.
What we have seen so far in the transfer market from Solskjaer has been good.
There has been a clear shift in the type of player he wants — fundamentally it boils down to those who are desperate to give their all and want to be there.
Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Dan James have all been very good, as well as being positive influences in and around the squad.
And the big difference maker has been January signing Bruno Fernandes.
His attitude and ability is what they’ve been missing for a while now, with his arrival freshening things up and raising standards.
Solskjaer has also given the kids a chance, with Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood in particular looking outstanding talents.
On top of all that, he has done a difficult job well in getting a number of players — such as Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez — out.
So what happens with Paul Pogba is going to be very interesting.
I understand the talk of Jadon Sancho, I understand the talk of Harry Kane and I certainly understand the talk of Jack Grealish. Those three are exactly the types they need if they are to compete at the top again
Shearer on United’s transfer targets
Is he going to knuckle down or, with one year left on his contract, are the club going to try to move him on?
Solskjaer only wants players who want to be there and, to be fair, he has stood up to Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola before.
With Pogba out injured, it was no coincidence United showed some real improvement before football was shut down. The French midfielder has barely played since the start of the season and that may well influence Solskjaer’s decision.
My guess is that Solskjaer and the club have already made up their minds — you don’t let a player have a year left on their contract without knowing what you want to do.
But in a new footballing landscape post-coronavirus, the big question is whether they can get big money when he could leave for nothing 12 months later.
If nobody is willing to stump up the cash, then will he be prepared to sit tight before leaving on a free?
It’s all right making up your mind that you want a player out the door but it’s another thing selling them. Right now all they can do is sit tight and see if anyone is going to be willing to pay what they want.
Solskjaer has done well in getting United back into a position to challenge for the top four.
He has also proved he can make the big calls — with most being correct to date.
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LIKE so many Newcastle fans, I refuse to get excited until the sale of the club actually goes through. I’m reluctant to get my hopes up — we’ve been here before, so what is the point?
There are still questions to be answered. We are yet to hear about the finance of the deal and still haven’t heard anything from Mike Ashley or the prospective buyers.
With Ashley, once it gets close he may well try to move the goalposts. So until the deal is done, I remain cautious.
But he hasn’t really proved anything in terms of being a great coach or in taking a club like Manchester United back to where they want to be.
While it’s too early to say that, Solskjaer looks like he is on the right track.
And if he can use the next few markets to Manchester United’s advantage, they could soon be a real force again before long.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
