OLE: Fletcher can be our secret weapon
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer believes Darren Fletcher can help ‘sell’ United to prospective transfer targets.
The Reds have appointed the former midfielder as the technical director and John Murtough has been promoted to football director as part of the club’s restructure.
“I’m very happy we’ve made the decision and the announcement, I’ve known about it for a little while,” said Solskjaer, whose side host AC Milan in the first left of their Europa League last-16 tie at Old Trafford tonight.
“We have still got the continuity of the last few years but then have fresh thinking with Fletch, who has been at the club before and has come back.
“If there was one thing I was sure of it was that we could not lose Darren.
“We wanted him at Man United. He has history at the club and been brought up here since he was a young boy up to a Champions League winner and a serial winner and his DNA is what we want.
“Recruitment, he can speak to players and sell Man United as the club he knows it is.
“The process of our recruitment is still going to be the same with John and Darren in their new roles. It’s work we’ve been doing for years now anyway with the manager with the scouting department and analysis department. That won’t change at all.”
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested Edinson Cavani must decide whether he wants to stay at United beyond this season.
The striker joined the Reds on deadline day on a one-year deal with the option for an additional year but his father, Luis, claims the striker is ‘unhappy’ at United and open to joining Boca Juniors.
Cavani’s father claims he ‘does not feel comfortable in England’ since he moved to Manchester in October and ‘wants to be close to the family again.’
The 34-year-old attempted to defuse the situation with a social media post yesterday morning,
POSSIBLE UNITED LINE-UP
saying he is ‘proud to play for this club.’
The Uruguay international has missed five of United’s last six games and will sit out tonight’s Europa League last-16 first leg against AC Milan at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer has sounded positive about the chances of Cavani extending his stay previously.
“Well, Edinson’s fully focused on being available for us and working really hard to get fit,” Solskjaer said yesterday.
“From my bad Portuguese and his better English (Cavani’s mother tongue is actually Spanish), he’s very proud to play for Man United. He’s always going to give his best as long as he is here.
“If it’s beyond this season as well, a decision hasn’t been made. As we’ve said, he’s made a great contribution so far. “We’re just working on getting him back on the pitch and fit - and we’ll convince him when the weather in Manchester improves!
“I can’t comment on what has been said, I can only say that we’re very pleased with Edinson when he’s here, he’s working really hard to be available, day in and day out, he’s proving his personality, his professionalism, even in his broken English he’s helping the young kids, as we wanted him to.
“We knew he wasn’t going to be able to play every single game, of course, because he’d been out of
Day in, day out, he’s proving his professionalism, even in his broken English he is helping the kids
football for so long, now let’s just makes sure he plays as much football as possible until the end of the season, score as many goals as he can, helps the young players, the strikers, the forwards, even the rest of the group with his mentality. And then he will make his decision.
“He knows we’re very fond of what he’s given to the club even though he’s played fewer games than he wanted to. “
United are also expected to be without Rashford tonight after he sustained an ankle injury in the win at City on Sunday.
Paul Pogba is still sidelined with a thigh injury, Donny van de Beek is unavailable because of a muscular injury and Juan Mata is also still absent.
David de Gea is not expected to play before the March internationals.
Rashford, 23, could also miss the Premier League visit of West Ham on Sunday and Anthony Martial is set to continue up front.
“I don’t think he’ll be available,” Solskjaer said of Rashford.
“He’s still getting treatment but he didn’t join in during training.
“Even though I’m normally a very optimistic guy, I think he’s probably a doubt for the weekend.
“I’m not sure if anyone will be back. David is not available. Donny: no. Paul: no. Edinson: maybe but probably not. Juan: no. And Marcus: maybe but probably not, so similar to Sunday but maybe we’ve lost Marcus.”