Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed Manchester United manager on a three-year deal after a successful stint as a caretaker, the club announced on Thursday.
Under the Norwegian, 46, the Red Devils have lost only once in 13 Premier League games. When he took charge, Manchester United were sixth in the Premier League and 11 points off the top four. They are now just two points behind Arsenal, who occupy the final Champions League qualifying spot.
Meanwhile, in the Champions League, Solskjaer’s United became the first side in history to win a tie after losing 2-0 at home in the first leg after they beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the return leg last month.
It’s easy to just see why Solskjaer has ended up getting the permanent job at Manchester United. The team’s improved style of play, impressive results and focus on blooding youth clearly factored in the club’s decision in handing the Norwegian the permanent keys.
With Solskjaer confirmed as permanent manager, he now needs to think about strengthening his squad. Here are three players United should sign in the summer transfer window.
First and foremost, the Red Devils need to bolster their defensive options. The team has lacked a leader at the back for some years now and while Victor Lindelof has quietly improved under Solskjaer, a commanding presence alongside the Swede is what United require ahead of the new season.
Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane could be ideal to partner Lindelof at the heart of the United defence. The Frenchman is on the radar of the Premier League giants, with Solskjaer keen to address his team’s defensive problems.
Varane, who won the World Cup with France last summer, hasn’t had a good season with Real Madrid. But there’s no denying his quality and European pedigree which would make him a valuable asset to United’s defence.
He is exactly what United need at the moment; hence, Solskjaer should not hesitate to break the bank for the French defender in the summer.
United’s need for a right winger is very clear as much of the team’s attacking moves comes down the left. Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata have played on the right but they are not traditional wingers and tend to drift inside to create openings for their teammates, while Anthony Martial is effective on the left.
Alexis Sanchez has struggled for form and fitness since arriving at Old Trafford last year, while Marcus Rashford has been Solskjaer’s main man in the attack. The Red Devils need a right winger to complete their attack and Solskjaer should target Lille star Nicolas Pepe, who has already attracted the interest of the 20-time Premier League champions.
Pepe has been in scintillating form for Lille this season, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further eight in just 29 league matches. The Ivorian is fast, athletic, and good with the ball. He is an excellent crosser of the ball and has a lethal left foot as well.
All in all, Pepe can be the perfect solution to United’s right woes.
Even if the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic have improved under Solskjaer, United lack depth in central midfield. Fred hasn’t clicked since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer, while Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira still are some way short of becoming a regular starter at the club.
Matic, despite doing well in the recent months, is generally slow and lacks discipline. Moreover, the Serbian is 30 and doesn’t quite fit in Solskjaer’s system. To put things plainly, United need a more mobile midfielder than Matic and Solskjaer would do a brilliant job by signing Ruben Neves from Wolves.
Neves has been such a revelation for Wolves in the Premier League that United have been already keeping tabs on him. The Portuguese is an excellent ball winner as well as significantly contributes to the team’s attack. He is a technically gifted player who boasts of an impressive passing range and ability to score long-range screamers.
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At 22, Neves surely has his best years ahead of him and he will be an instant upgrade on Matic if the Red Devils manage to lure him away from Molineux to Old Trafford.