According to the latest reports, Manchester United interim manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly snubbed £80m from executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward because he has prioritized signing attackers over defenders on the summer transfer window. However, Woodward is keen on bringing in a central defender to Old Trafford when the summer window opens, rather than adding more attack-minded players to the current squad.
It has been quite a strange spell for Manchester United this season with plenty of ups and downs. Jose Mourinho was in charge of the club at the start of the season but the ‘Special One’ carried his arrogance and petulant nature after not getting his transfer demands met in the summer. The 56-year-old wanted defensive re-enforcements and United were linked with plenty of top defenders in Europe but wasn’t obliged by Ed Woodward. Mourinho decided not to play attacking football with United, the dire and lackluster football wasn’t even getting United the desired results and with plenty of unresolved issues in the Red half of Manchester, it was only a matter of time before Mourinho was gone. A 3-1 humiliation against fierce rivals Liverpool put the writing on the wall and Mourinho was sacked just a few days later.
Former Manchester United forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was hired to replace the Portuguese at least until the end of the season to stabilize the ship and the Norwegian has exceeded expectations since taking up the job. The air around United seems a lot fresher as United have been on an excellent run ever since Solskjaer took charge of the club as the players and even the fans seem happier. The Red Devils secured their place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League after overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the first leg of the tournament and then winning 3-1 at the Parc Des Princes. Solskjaer suffered his first defeat in the Premier League against Arsenal at the weekend as United boss but it was just his first since December. Solskjaer has almost certainly guaranteed his job for the next season but the Norwegian could face the same problems that Mourinho did.
Recent reports claim that Woodward is keen on giving Solskjaer funds to spend in the summer but only to re-enforce the defense. Ironically, Solskjaer has prioritized that he wants to sign a few high-quality attackers but Woodward is insisting that the club needs to strengthen their back-line.
The 46-year-old Norwegian wants to sign a right winger who can add a bunch of goals from the flanks. Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, Juventus winger Douglas Cost, and Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic are the preferred options to Old Trafford but after Woodward saw defensive lapses in the loss against Arsenal, he wants defenders at the club.
Victor Lindelof had arguably his worst game of 2019 and although Chris Smalling was the calmer of the two, he has improved tremendously under Solskjaer. United are still keen on signing Leicester City’s Harry Maguire in the summer however, it depends on the mutual interest Solskjaer and Woodward pertain.
