Five players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must target in January
According to The Sun, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be handed a hefty £250m in January to rebuild his squad.
Last summer, United splashed £150m on Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James and all of them have done their part well so far. Despite strengthening key areas, United lack the cutting-edge to be dominant and have struggled against lower-placed teams this term.
With the January transfer window set to open in a few days, Solskjaer has hinted that the Red Devils would be busy in the winter and the fans can expect some important signings to bolster their squad.
Let’s take a look at 5 players the Norwegian must consider ahead of the transfer window to bring quality to his young squad.
Erling Haaland
The teenager has been in fine form this season and rose to fame after his heroics in the group stages of the Champions League. A striker for the future, Haaland would be compatible up front alongside Marcus Rashford. Anthony Martial has done well so far but has failed to live up to expectations.
Haaland’s finishing has been clinical this season and already has 22 goals in 28 matches this campaign, which is his breakthrough season. Valued at £70m, the Norway international must be bought at any cost to see a change in United’s attack. He has been linked with Manchester United too.
Jadon Sancho
The £100m-rated winger is one of the hottest prospects across Europe and has proven to be a game-changer for Dortmund. Sancho has adapted well on either flank, and his speed, technique and skills are no less than an experienced campaigner.
Making a name for himself on the right flank, the Manchester City youth product would definitely be a huge boost for United. He has proven to be better than Daniel James, who is also blessed with speed but has a lot to improve in his game. Therefore, United can depend on Sancho to make their attack a powerful one.
Sancho has been linked with a move to Man United and the Red Devils must look to strike a deal for the incredible English talent.
Bruno Fernandes
Solskjaer’s men produced some brilliant results against Tottenham and Manchester City last week with the help of their counter-attacks. But against Everton at the weekend, their creativity was exposed as they failed to break the defence of a team that sat deep.
In this aspect, Fernandes would be the best option for the Red Devils. A goalscoring midfielder, the Portuguese has got something in his locker which can be effective, and his creativity has been a talking point over the past few months.
The attacking midfielder, who has been linked with Manchester United, has a lot to provide in terms of playmaking. He must be considered ahead of others.
Kalidou Koulibaly
According to Il Mattino (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United target Kalidou Koulibaly could be sold by Napoli for a cut-price £69m.
He has been rock-solid for Napoli over the years and United still seem to be lacking confidence at the back. Koulibaly’s presence would provide them with much-needed stability.
The Senegalese has proven his worth with some outstanding performance and United’s defence can become an immovable object if Solskjaer decides to bring in the towering centre-back.
Mario Mandzukic
After failing to bring in a replacement for Romelu Lukaku in the summer, the United boss has hinted that he may go for a short-term signing. In that case, Mandzukic should be the one to look out for.
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Taking advantage of his situation under Maurizio Sarri, United would benefit from his experience and his goalscoring prowess is proof of his quality that can make any team look better. Therefore, the Croatian can be the one to make an impact within a short time.
Juventus have put a £4.5m price tag on his head and Man United would be quite clever to pursue their interest in the Serie A star.