OLE: WHY WE NEED TO MAKE THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT CAN HELP REDS ATTRACT BIG-NAME STARS, SAYS OLE
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer accepts Champions League football would make it more persuasive for prospective signings to join United.
The Reds resume their Europa League campaign this week with the round-of-32 first leg away at Club Brugge but have not gone two successive seasons without European Cup football since 1992.
Former manager Jose Mourinho secured Champions League qualification in 2016-17 by guiding United to Europa League victory, having presided over a sixth-place finish in the Premier League. Towards the end of the season, Mourinho compiled two transfer lists depending on which European competition United would be in in 2017-18.
United’s recruitment reboot last year was partly enforced by their dwindling stock in the market and the three summer signings were bought from the ninth and 12th-placed teams in the Premier League last term, as well as Championship side Swansea City. Bruno Fernandes arrived last month from Sporting Lisbon, who tried to sell the midfielder to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
“The Champions League gives the club more resources, more money, that’s one thing,” Solskjaer said. “It’s a prestigious tournament to be in, of course.
“Doing as well as we can, and if we play well the rest of the season, and players that we might want are impressed by that, it might be easier to convince them that we’re here.
“But I don’t think one season – this season is the Europa League
– if next season is with or without the Champions League, I wouldn’t say that’s the be-all and end-all for a player to sign for us.”
United have budgeted for between three and five additions this calendar year and Solskjaer confirmed Fernandes would have an impact on their summer expenditure. The Reds are expected to make a minimum of three new signings – as they have done in the last three summer windows – with a midfielder, a forward and a striker prioritised.
Leicester City playmaker James Maddison wants to join United but is all but guaranteed to play in the Champions League next season if he stays at the King Power Stadium. Leicester are third in the Premier League table and 10 points clear of Spurs in fifth.
●
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has refused to put a return date on Paul Pogba’s comeback from an ankle injury for United.
Pogba, 26, has only started six times this season and made two substitute appearances due to two separate ankle injuries. The Frenchman underwent surgery to have bone fragments removed last month after playing 71 minutes against Watford and Newcastle United in late December and has been recovering in Dubai.
Solskjaer said on New Year’s Day Pogba would be sidelined for ‘three or four weeks’ and it has nearly been seven. Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has since ridiculed United’s standing in the game and vowed last month he ‘wouldn’t bring anyone else’ to United.
Raiola claimed on Wednesday Pogba ‘would not mind going back’ to Juventus and M.E.N. Sport revealed this month the France international has told team-mates at United he still wants to leave the club.
Solskjaer was invited to assure supporters Pogba would play for United again. “Well of course, I’d like to say that. As soon as he gets fit, he’ll be good enough to play for the team and I’m sure Paul’s desperate to play for us again.
“I’ve not spoken to Mino, that’s for sure, [and] no, I haven’t sat down and told Paul to tell his agent what to say. But Paul is our player and not Mino’s.” Injured trio Scott McTomiso nay, Axel Tuanzebe and Timothy Fosu-Mensah travelled with the Reds squad to Marbella for their training camp whereas Pogba spent time at the Nad al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai, where Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard trained in the first week of the winter break.
Solskjaer gave a brusque response after he was asked why Pogba had not flown to Spain with his teammates. “I don’t have to justify every decision. Paul’s still on his recovery programme. He’s taken off his cast,
when he comes back here we’ll integrate him with us. Hopefully soon. He’s started running on the treadmill now, so he’s getting closer.
“It’s been a long haul, this, so hopefully we’ll see him back soon. He’s been in and around here, and of course I okayed him doing his recovery somewhere else.
“Paul’s an important player for us but also we’ve also learned so much about the others. Some other players have really stepped up and taken on this responsibility and shown what they can be and what they are for
Man United, so there’s always a chance. But it’s unfortunate you get some of your best players injured, but that’s just part of it, that’s part of being here. You can’t just say ‘I feel sorry for myself because we’ve had all these injuries.’ We’re building a squad that can cope with this.”
When it was suggested Pogba was enduring a ‘disastrous’ campaign, Solskjaer replied: “You’re not going to get that headline from me. As a player, the last thing you want to be is injured and not being able to contribute to your team.”