OLE SET FOR £250m CASH WINDFALL
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER will be handed £250million to rebuild Manchester United following their Champions League exit.
United were outclassed as Barcelona won 3-0 at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
And Solskjaer has told Old Trafford chiefs he must make at least four key signings this summer – and offload players – if the Reds are to challenge for the major prizes.
United have spent £725m on players in the six years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired but there has been no coherent approach to recruitment.
Solskjaer had already identified areas that need addressed before the Barca debacle. England trio Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Aaron Wan-Bissaka top United’s wanted list, along with Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt.
And there will be a major cull, with Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Alexis Sanchez all leaving.
Talented centre-back de Ligt looks set to join Barcelona so Solskjaer is likely to have to look elsewhere. Alternative targets include Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Leicester’s Harry Maguire.
Ashley Young’s served United well but time has caught up with him. Then there are the ongoing issues over keeper David de Gea and Paul Pogba.
De Gea, with one year on his contract, has been below his best culminating in his blunder on Tuesday.
Pogba is another headache. After flourishing in the wake of the gaffer’s arrival in December, Pogba – anonymous in both legs against Barcelona – has reverted to type.
And his dip in form has coincided with Real Madrid’s campaign to sign him this summer.
United face three games in seven days against Everton, Man City and Chelsea that will go a long way to deciding if they’re in the Champions League or Europa League next season.
If it is the latter the challenge of attracting and keeping players could further undermine the already tough rebuilding process facing Solskjaer.