Ole: Yes, I’m looking for a midfielder now
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed United are scouting midfielders as they attempt to reinforce that area of their squad.
The Reds were interested in Newcastle youngster Sean Longstaff in the summer but were quoted £50m for the 22-year-old and ended the window without a new midfielder.
M.E.N. Sport revealed in September United were considering a midfield signing in the January window.
Solskjaer sanctioned the winter sale of Marouane Fellaini to Shandong Luneng, and Ander Herrera left to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, Andreas Pereira and
Fred are United’s senior midfield options but Pogba has played six times this season due to an ankle injury, Matic has just returned from a month out injured and Scott McTominay is sidelined for a fortnight with an ankle injury.
James Garner, 18, made his full debut in the Europa League victory at Partizan Belgrade last month and is another option, but Solskjaer has not concealed his desire for a new midfielder.
“Long-term, we’re looking at different positions and midfield, yeah, we have been looking at midfielders.
“There are always types of players we’re looking at but I’m not going to sit here and talk about that now.
“And we lost Nemanja for a long period, of course that’s gonna take its toll for any midfield, if you take three midfielders out of any top club, I think they’ll struggle.
“But Fred’s stepped up and we’ll have to try to conjure up a way of replacing them.”
United are nine points adrift of City, who occupy the final Champions League qualifying place in the Premier League table, and resume their domestic schedule at Sheffield
United tomorrow. Solskjaer added: “We’ve still gotta keep looking up the table, of course. It’s so close but it’s a long gap up to the top four.
“We’ve got City next month very soon, so we’ve got a chance to claw some points back, we’re getting players back, we’re getting better and improving as a team, so hopefully we can challenge.
“But I’ve seen Marcus [Rashford] talk about it this week, it’s not just about top four, but that’s a little bit of a goal for us.”