Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defends Manchester United’s board amid criticism over lack of transfer business

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has launched a staunch defence of Manchester United’s transfer business and insists that the club’s under-fire board have backed him.

An array of Old Trafford legends, including Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Patrice Evra, have been among the most vocal critics over United’s nightmare window – and United are still no closer to securing Solskjaer’s top targets.

But despite the club’s stark recruitment failures this summer, Solskjaer has once again shrugged off the frustration plaguing him off the field, and stressed that he believes he has been supported.

Club chief Ed Woodward (above) has come under fire with United struggling to land targets

The £40million arrival of Donny van de Beek from Ajax remains United’s sole capture despite countless links to other stars over recent months. It has been made clear that Solskjaer is still on the hunt for a right-sided attacker, namely Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, and a new left back.

Negotiations over the £108m-rated England international have proved torturous, however, and the deal remains at an impasse with just three days remaining until the window slams shut.

And with United’s ‘Big Six’ rivals still splashing the cash despite the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, pressure has mounted on club chief Ed Woodward and the Glazer family to further invest. 

Solskjaer says he has been backed despite the £40m Donny van de Beek being the sole arrival

Talks with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho remain at an impasse with time running out

Solskjaer told Sky Sports: ‘When I came in and was given the job, I gave my view on what the team should look like and how to get there. I feel when we had these conversations, the club understood my view. 

‘In all honesty, results are always the key here. But the club also see what we are doing with the club, and what we want to do with the club. 

‘I’m not looking at other clubs in that way – of course I look at them in terms of keeping up with what’s going on – but other clubs have a way of running, we have our way of running our club.

‘And of course, I’m very happy working with the players I’ve got. But also, the part of the job is to improve the squad all the time, and so far I’ve been backed. We are working hard to be competitive again, amongst the best.

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele has been touted as a potential alternative to Sancho

Patrice Evra released a heartfelt video last month criticising the United board and ex-players

‘I think football now is different from what it was six or eight months ago, and these times are very unique. To get deals done you need to monitor a player for a long, long while, and monitor your target, and I feel the process there has been working well.’ 

Despite United appearing to have abandoned their scattergun recruitment policy under Solskjaer, the club still remain scrabbling to reinforce his squad. 

Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele has been discussed as an alternative to Sancho, but United are only interested in pursuing a loan deal. 

Watford winger Ismaila Sarr has been earmarked as another target, although the Championship outfit value him at £45m. 

Solskjaer revealed Roy Keane has warned him directly about United’s stark lack of investment

United’s summer has been further soured with attempts to reduce the price tag for the £18m-rated Porto left back Alex Telles having also proven unsuccessful so far.    

The anger felt off the field is regularly echoed by several former United servants. 

Keane, who captained the club for eight years during his trophy-laden spell, told Sky Sports that he fears Solskjaer stands to suffer the most from ‘tough days ahead’ due to the lack of spending. 

In response, the United boss has admitted that Keane has warned him directly. He added: ‘I’m still very close to Roy. There’s nobody as honest as him, and he always says it how it is, how he feels.’