Manchester United face a race to the finish line.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are currently fifth in the Premier League table, level on points with fourth-placed Leicester City.

They face Crystal Palace on Thursday before games against West Ham United and, on the final day, Leicester.

That final game could well be decisive in terms of Champions League qualification, with Manchester City’s successful appeal to be included in next season’s competition confirming that a fifth-placed finish will not be enough to qualify for the tournament.

United have three games in which to seal their destiny and perhaps their sales pitch to potential targets in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, one has to believe that qualifying for the Champions League will make their potential targets that much easier to secure.

It appears, though, that there is interest in a number of players as the window looms.

And Football Insider reports that the club are interested in securing the signature of a shock target on a free transfer.

p1ed9o1e3j8lp6ufplk129j7tuf.jpg

Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick has rejected a contract extension at Turf Moor and is set to leave the club this summer.

He has been linked with AC Milan and Roma but the report states that United are monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop.

Hendrick is a Republic of Ireland international, and is a remarkably versatile presence; he has played in central midfield, defensive midfield, on both flanks and in attacking midfield for Burnley thus far this season.

The 28-year-old has only ever played for two clubs in his professional career, Derby County and the Clarets.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

In a post-Coronavirus world, football clubs need to operate smartly in the transfer window.

There clearly isn’t an awful amount of money available to all clubs, and United swooping for Hendrick would make sense.

He isn’t the most headline-grabbing acquisition, of course he isn’t, but this is a versatile professional who would surely jump at the chance to make a move to Old Trafford.

Fans will likely expect further acquisitions, perhaps the likes of Jadon Sancho or Ousmane Dembele would be more impressive, but as a squad addition, Hendrick could be perfect for Solskjaer’s men.

This would be a really shrewd move.