By Brian Bariyo Tumuramye
Manchester United bosses recognise they are a long way off challenging for the Premier League title and are planning a significant recruitment drive which is set to be brought forward to January. The Red Devils have only won two league matches this season and sit just two points above the relegation zone, though manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly still retains the support of United’s hierarchy. Extensive meetings have already been held over potential targets, with United looking at bringing in four new faces in the coming windows – though there could be even more new arrivals at Old Trafford.
According to United bosses feel the club are ‘around six players short’ of having the quality required to challenge for major honours and are set to invest heavily to correct that. The club are in fact prepared to make up to four major signings in each of the next two summer transfer windows – marking eight new arrivals by the summer of 2021. United bosses still retain faith in Solskjaer’s plan to overhaul United, which could take three years to fully transform the side, with a clear-out of deadwood expected to accompany the new signings.
While United prefer to do business in the summer, it is claimed that one signing could be ‘accelerated’ to the upcoming January transfer window. The key for both United and Solskjaer, however, is that they will not compromise on the quality and type of players they wait to sign, with the Norwegian still targeting young, hungry, British players.
Up front is likely to be the area United target in January, with injuries to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial exposing a lack of firepower up front. That has been exacerbated by the decision to allow Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku to leave in the summer without signing replacements, though the club still believe it was the right decision to offload the duo – neither of whom wanted to remain at the club.
