Man Utd transfer wishlist: Jadon Sancho the tip of the iceberg as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer targets English talent

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be given control of Manchester United’s transfer plans with Jadon Sancho leading a list of targets including some of English football’s brightest prospects.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is also on the new Man Utd manager’s wish list as he prepares for his first summer window at Old Trafford, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is considered a cut-price option, given his contract stand-off at Chelsea.

Crystal Palace right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is another English starlet on Solskjaer’s radar as Ed Woodward plans to back the Norwegian heavily in the market.

United’s priorities are in central defence, midfield and on the right of attack.

Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly is the long-standing first choice centre back – but United are also monitoring Raphael Varane, who they would be prepared to bid £100m for if he indicates a desire to leave Real Madrid.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine
Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

Sporting Lisbon’s free-scoring midfielder Bruno Fernandes is also on an extensive list of targets that will be narrowed down in the final weeks of the season.

Solskjaer is determined to avoid the issues endured by his predecessor Jose Mourinho last year, when the former United manager headed into deadline day still hoping to land a world class centre back.

Instead his successor has told Woodward he wants his summer business to be done in time for United’s pre-season tour to Australia and the Far East, which kicks off in Perth on July 13.

“I’d been discussing with Ed and the club my ideas for the future and now they're more or less my decisions to make,” he said.

“United is a club that has money, and that has to be spent in a reasonable way. People who know me, know that I will use that in a good way.

“We have a plan with the club, they have scouted players for longer than I have been here, and we have players that we need to keep. We will not spend money just to spend money.”

Mourinho’s bitter end at United could be dated back to his frustrations during the summer when he failed to bring in a host of defensive targets including Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld and Jerome Boateng.

United’s scouting department were working on this summer’s priorities months before Solskjaer took over on an interim basis in January.

The 46-year-old has spent much of his three months in charge discussing targets for this summer and beyond.

Benfica teenager Joao Felix has impressed United’s recruitment department and is another under consideration.

Solskjaer revealed he has been inundated with players keen to join his Old Trafford revolution,

“There have been so many players that have been written about that we’re interested in so many players’ agents have been in touch with our administration about wanting to come here,” he said. “Hopefully when we’ve decided what we want to do, we’ll get them here.”

Interest in Sancho, Hudson-Odoi, Rice and Wan-Bissaka is evidence of United’s push to recruit emerging talent after Mourinho’s focus on established players like Nemanja Matic, Alexis Sanchez, Alderweireld, Willian and Ivan Perisic – all in their late 20s or above.

Solskjaer has told Woodward his squad is in need of experience, but the willingness to spend upwards of £80m on Sancho points to his commitment to recruiting the best young players in the world.

Photo: PA
PA

Hudson-Odoi (above) represents an alternative to Sancho if Borussia Dortmund stand firm over their insistence the 19-year-old is not for sale.

Rice, who is also being monitored by Manchester City could be the long-term successor to Matic.

It remains to be seen if United will move for Wan-Bissaka this summer or wait until Ashley Young becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

United’s decision to appoint Solskjaer at a time when they sit fifth in the table underlines the fact that he will be given time to rebuild the club.

While Champions League qualification remains the target, United very much see their new manager as a long term project.

And he is adamant he can still lure players without the promise of the Champions League next season.

“The Champions League is important for us and for some players it might be, but to play for Man United you know if you sign a contract you're going to be playing in the Champions League,” he said.

“We are now in a great position to get into the Champions League, but that's not decided until probably May 12.”

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