Solskjaer failed to get four top targets in botched Man Utd transfer window

Dave Tindall
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Man Utd TEAMtalk

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn’t manage to get any of his four main transfer targets in the recent transfer window, according to reports.

United’s lack of activity was one of the main themes building up to Monday’s deadline day. And the need to bring in fresh names was highlighted by their embarrassing 6-1 home defeat to Spurs the day before.

In the end, they did manage to get four deals over the line. Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles, Amad Traore and Facundo Pellistri all made moves to Old Trafford.

However, none of those were considered priority targets.

So, who were the four players that Solskjaer had coveted most but failed to secure?

According to ESPN, their sources have revealed that the chosen quartet were Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Dayot Upamecano and Nathan Ake.

The Sancho deal dragged on throughout the summer, with United refusing to pay Borussia Dortmund’s huge asking fee of £108million.

Aston Villa captain Grealish was considered too expensive at £80million. The England midfielder ended up signing a new deal with his hometown club.

Centre-back Ake decided to complete a £41million to United’s neighbours Manchester City.

And fellow defender Upamecano extended his current deal at RB Leipzig. An update to the Frenchman’s contract means United could get him for a reduced fee next summer. That doesn’t hide the disappointment of failing to capture him now.

 

Man Utd and Solskjaer’s transfer woes continue

Erling Haaland

The latest frustrations add to United’s failure to land chief strike target Erling Haaland last January.

Solskjaer’s fellow Norwegian decided to move to Dortmund instead.

Haaland has been a huge hit in the Bundesliga and, to date, has scored 17 goals in 18 top-flight games.

United ended up signing Odion Ighalo on a short-term loan from Shanghai Shenhua.

Other reports suggested they were also in for Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara this summer.

Again, they missed out to a chief rival as the Spaniard signed for Liverpool last month.

While getting in Cavani, Telles, Traore and Pellistri is a positive, none were initially identified by Solskjaer and his coaching staff as key targets.

ESPN add that Solskjaer did sanction all four deals. As he did when their biggest summer signing, Donny van de Beek, joined from Ajax for £40million earlier in early September.