Reds are facing an uncertain summer
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer says United are preparing for an ‘important’ summer in the transfer market.
The Reds are two points off an automatic Champions League qualifying place in the Premier League table as they face Bournemouth at Old Trafford today, but could still return to the competition if they finish fifth and City’s ban from European competitions is upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Victory in the Europa League final on August 21 in Cologne would also secure Champions League qualification.
M.E.N. Sport reported last month United’s moves for certain targets depend on Champions League qualification and the coronavirus pandemic has already cost the club £28m. Their revenues for the third quarter fell by 18.7 per cent to £123.7m and their debt soared by £124.4m to £429.1m.
Chelsea have spent £78.6m on Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner and Bayern Munich finalised an initially £44.5m deal for Leroy Sane this week.
Solskjaer suggested United could make their own marquee signing, but reiterated their activity is partly dependent on how successful their run-in is.
“It’s going to be a strange transfer window and I don’t expect a lot of big transfers,”
Solskjaer said. “We don’t really know how the market is going to be.
“As a team, club and staff, we need to work really well. It’s about the consistency.
“We need to have the mentality of United of old that every game is a cup final and every game is a chance to get three points.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Man City or Liverpool or Bournemouth or Southampton, Palace, Everton, you need to go into every single game with the same mindset. We’ve been too inconsistent.
“So for us this summer is also about creating consistency.
“I’m not just talking about decisions off the field - it’s also
here in and around the training ground.”
United appear to have missed out on 17-year-old Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has reportedly agreed to join Borussia Dortmund.
Erling Haaland rejected United in favour of the German side in the January window and Jadon Sancho sparked an influx of young British players moving to the Bundesliga after he moved to Dortmund in 2017.
Solskjaer refused to specifically comment on Bellingham’s future but understands why the Bundesliga appeals to raw talents in the Premier League and Championship.
“Any young player needs to make a decision they’re comfortable with - where can he make an impact? If you’re 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, they’re important decisions for them,” said the Reds boss.
“We’ve got some examples of players taking a chance, moving away from big clubs to smaller clubs and it hasn’t worked.
“That’s a chance, a risk they take, instead of being in the club they’ve gone through. Some players do really well.
“I was happy with the path I took as a player.
“I was 22 before I went to Molde and 23 when I came to United.
“John Arne Riise, who comes from a similar area to me, went to Monaco when he was 16 and we both won Champions Leagues as players, so there are different roads that lead to the destination.”