Ole just can’t afford to waste £50m of talent
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer wouldn’t be spoilt for choice if he had to pick a squad consisting of the United players who returned to training yesterday.
After granting players a week off following the humiliating defeat to City, a handful of senior stars arrived back at Carrington eager to impress the under-fire boss ahead of what looks like a season-defining spell of matches.
With most players still on international duty, the register yesterday painted the picture of a motley crew who remain on the periphery at the Reds, their very presence another reminder of an issue which needs to be solved.
Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson and Alex Telles were all in attendance for the session having fallen out of favour at international level over the calendar year, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay completed the collection of first-teamers.
It further emphasised the notion Solskjaer boasts one of the greatest squads in European football but doesn’t know how to best use it, given the aforementioned trio have all been limited to bench roles at best for much of the season so far.
Van de Beek was a reluctant addition last year when United signed him for a cut price following a failed move to Real Madrid and Telles was another Solskjaer signing who arrived with high hopes but has not had a regular run in the first-team to prove himself.
The perceived misuse of Van de Beek will be a lasting legacy of Solskjaer’s tenure at the club, with he and full-back Telles representing £50m of transfer investment under the Norwegian which already looks wasted just over a year since they both arrived in English football. United supporters showcased their support for Van de Beek in defeat to City, a match in which Telles also featured from the bench as a replacement for the concussed Luke Shaw, two appearances which were made out of desperation rather than a tactical decision. The duo, like second-choice keeper Henderson, could leave in January given the lack of playing time this season, despite assurances from the manager they would get a chance to prove their worth, a damning reflection of the wasted money and potential in the recent history of the club.
No matter who is in charge throughout the season, they will need to find a way of better utilising the enviable squad depth at their disposal before they can be backed with further investment in the transfer window, while the steady decline of Van de Beek and Telles is a warning sign to any established international who might be tempted by a switch to Old Trafford.
In the long run the likes of Van de Beek and Telles might not be the answer but it only reflects badly on the manager that we are still asking so many questions.