Ole tells United board what club now needs
UNITED manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told the board what he feels the club needs to do in the transfer market after qualification for next season’s Champions League was confirmed.
United needed to avoid defeat against Leicester on the final day of the season to return to Europe’s elite club competition, a remarkable achievement given their early season form.
Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard handed the Reds three points and sealed third place in the Premier League meaning Champions League football will return to Old Trafford next season.
United will benefit significantly from their finishing position.
Lucrative Champions League TV deals are set to boost their finances for next year and the club will be in a stronger negotiating position for their priority transfer targets such as Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.
Solskjaer said after the game that he has informed the club what he feels the team needs to improve next season.
“That’s another part of the Champions League – of course, financial gain,” he told Sky Sports.
“But that’s not in my head. The club know what I feel we need and we’re going to try and pursue it. So let’s see where we end up.”
The United boss said that the
The club know what I feel we need and we’re going to pursue it Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
players will face new challenges next season as key players may not be afforded as much rest as they were earlier on this season. United have been able to rotate their squad in Europa League fixtures against lesser opposition but Solskjaer says that won’t be the case against stronger teams in the Champions League.
He added: “For this team, it means better opposition next year, bigger games and we need to step it up. That means every mid-week, in the Champions League, you’ve got to play your best team.
“It’s not like the Europa League where we could have rested players and given minutes to the young lads.
“Now, we’ve got to go for every game so that’s another stepping stone for these.
“You’ve got to get stronger, fitter and more robust.”