Raghavendra Goudar
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blames coronavirus impact for Man United transfer inactivity
As reported by the Evening Standard, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has claimed that the club has struggled to sign players this summer owing to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the transfer market.
It has been slow going for the Red Devils in the market this summer. The club has completed just the one senior signing, with Donny van de Beek signing from AFC Ajax.
Manchester United have spent the majority of the transfer window hunting the signing of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, but to no avail. The club are refusing to meet Dortmund’s £108m valuation of Sancho, with talks at an impasse. (h/t Evening Standard)
The club is unwilling to go over the £70m mark with transfer plans majorly redrawn after the pandemic struck. (h/t Evening Standard)
“You can’t ignore the impact on the coronavirus. I think that’s really changed the market. Of course the financial uncertainty of that has added to the difficulty of predicting where we’re at.”
Solskjaer further went on to discuss how it was difficult for Manchester United to sign players as there are limited number of stars who can improve the current squad. (h/t Evening Standard)
“It’s not as big a pool as for other clubs, because part of Man United and being good enough is one thing. Then you’ve got another club that probably want to keep that type of player of that quality.”
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It is understandable that the club’s hands have been somewhat tied due to the pandemic and its impact on the finances. However, it must also be taken into consideration that all the clubs around us have strengthened.
Even Arsenal, who finished outside the top six, have been able to bring in players. So the transfer inactivity on Manchester United’s part at a time when investment is needed is indeed baffling.
Nevertheless, there’s still a couple of weeks before the window closes. Hopefully, there will be a few new faces coming into Old Trafford by then.
