Former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be frustrated with the club’s failings in the transfer market this summer.
Ferdinand said (via Express): “I would say if I was sitting in his shoes I would be very frustrated.
“I said earlier I was filled with optimism at the end of last season. Got the team into Europe, the Champions League, which I’m sure would have been part of what was on the tin to do.
“But I feel in terms of acquisitions in the transfer market he’ll be frustrated because he hasn’t got what he wanted.
“I don’t feel that whatever they’ve got in this window has improved the first 11. That’s the problem.”
Manchester United failed to sign some of their top targets including Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.
Solskjaer would have wanted to improve his first eleven but United have not managed to do that this summer.
The Red Devils spent all summer chasing Sancho and were left empty-handed in the end. The Premier League side failed to meet Dortmund’s asking price and the German outfit refused to lower their demands.
After getting the club back in the Champions League, Solskjaer would have expected more backing from the club hierarchy. Manchester United needed to improve their attacking options and bring in some defensive depth.
Sancho would have been an immense upgrade on Dan James and the signing could have taken Manchester United’s attack to the next level.
The Red Devils ended up signing Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles for the first team. Traore and Pellistri are future prospects and they are unlikely to make an impact in the near future.
The Ajax midfielder was brought in to add more creativity to the side but one could argue that he doesn’t improve Manchester United’s starting lineup. With Pogba and Fernandes ahead of him in the pecking order, the Dutchman might struggle to start every game at Old Trafford.
Similarly, Cavani seems like a panic buy. The Uruguayan had not played for months and it remains to be seen whether he can recapture his peak form anytime soon.
Telles seems like a smart addition given Shaw’s inconsistencies and the former Porto ace could prove to be useful for Solskjaer.
It will be interesting to see how Manchester United perform after failing to sort out their problems in the transfer market, at least until the window reopens in January.
