Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Man United need to make “two or three” signings to be in with a chance of winning the Premier League.
The Red Devils are fifth in the table following their 2-0 win over Manchester City but the gap to their rivals remains 12 points.
And they’re a massive 37 points behind leaders Liverpool, highlighting the size of the task ahead.
But United will invest in their squad in the summer - as they always do - and Solskjaer believes they could put themselves in a position to compete if they make the right moves.
“We feel we are improving all the time,” the Norwegian said, per the Daily Mail.
“We know we lack one, two, three players to be considered a title contender and some experience and we know that.”
Man United will have an extensive list of targets and the Mail have revealed eight that they’ve got on their shortlist for the summer window.
Declan Rice
West Ham have endured a tough season and Declan Rice himself has suffered from a drop in form.
But that hasn’t put Solskjaer and his coaches off and they value Rice’s ability to play in midfield and defence.
The 21-year-old’s rumoured £80 million price tag could be reduced if West Ham are relegated.
Saul Niguez
United didn’t replace Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera, so they’re on the lookout for new midfielders.
Atletico Madrid’s 25-year-old star Saul Niguez would be an exciting signing but it was reported in December that he would take a fee of up to £128 million to convince the La Liga club to sell.
Saul signed a nine-year contract in July 2017, making a deal hard to complete.
James Maddison
Bruno Fernandes has brought creativity and flair to Man United’s midfield but with Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba possibility heading for the exit, Solskjaer is likely to add another playmaker to his squad.
That could come in the form of Leicester City’s James Maddison, who has enjoyed an impressive rise in recent seasons.
Maddison would cost in the region of £100 million, though.
Jack Grealish
Maddison is competing for a big-money move with his close friend, Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish.
The 24-year-old has been sublime for a struggling Villa team and fits Solskjaer’s mould of young, hungry players who want to play for the Man United.
If Villa are relegated to the Championship, the Red Devils could get Grealish for £60 million.
Jadon Sancho
Manchester United’s No.1 summer target is Borussia Dortmund and England star Jadon Sancho.
They face competition from Europe’s biggest names, though, including Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
A bidding war could well commence and Sancho will attract a fee well over the £100 million mark.
Thomas Muller
A move for Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller would be considered surprising but Solskjaer wants to add experience to his squad in the summer.
Muller, 30, is enjoying a fine season in Germany, netting six goals and providing 16 assists in the Bundesliga.
His versatility is an added bonus, but Man United fans will hope the move works out better for them than their last move for an ageing Bayern Munich star did.
Moussa Dembele
Lyon’s 23-year-old striker Moussa Dembele has reached new heights since leaving Fulham in 2016.
He netted 51 goals in 94 games for Celtic and has 16 goals in 27 Ligue 1 appearances this season for Lyon.
Man United would be getting a guaranteed goalscorer in Dembele, but he would have to compete for a spot with Solskjaer currently viewing Anthony Martial as his man No.9.
Joshua King
Bournemouth’s Joshua King was disappointed after a January move to Old Trafford failed to materialise but Solskjaer could reignite the transfer in the summer.
Man United’s boss reportedly told King that he would bring the Norwegian forward to Old Trafford one day.
Whether that happens in the summer depends largely on the form of Odion Ighalo.
United signed the Nigerian instead of King and he’s proving to be a valuable addition. If Ighalo continues to impress, he’ll be signed on a permanent deal.
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