Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has dropped another major hint his long-term future lies at Manchester United by revealing he’s already planning ahead for the summer transfer window. Since being parachuted in as a replacement for the axed Jose Mourinho, United have embarked on an impressive run of form that has seen the club collect nine wins in 10 games to reignite their hopes of a top-four finish and possible Champions League progress.
Their impressive form has seen them close the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea to just two points; even Gary Neville now thinks it’s a straight shootout between the two clubs for the remaining fourth Champions League place this season.
And while it remains unclear whether Solskjaer’s long-term future will be at Old Trafford beyond the summer, the fact that he’s already planning ahead for signings – and by detailing what he expects from any new arrivals – suggests his path has already been set.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Solskjaer insists any new signing must have a uniqueness about them. “Me and Mick (Phelan) came in and of course we wanted to bring a confidence into the players that we trust them because we do,” he said.
“They are here because they are special. Manchester United never sign players if they don’t have any uniqueness or X factor about them. We should never forget what badge they are wearing because they are special.
“So we speak to them and encourage them individually but giving players confidence by speaking to them is one thing. They need to feel this is working. They have done it by themselves. They scored the goals against Cardiff and enjoyed it. That gave them a big boost, of course.
“You have to find a way to win a game. That’s not up to me or Mick or Kieran (McKenna) or Michael (Carrick) to tell them beforehand. Every game is different. We might score the first goal and it’s a different game. They might score the first goal and it’s a different game. So they have got to make decisions out there based on their experiences and qualities.”
Solskjaer’s attention to detail ahead of a crucial run of fixtures for United, meanwhile, has led the Norwegian to admit he already knows his starting XI for the next month ahead.