By George Aluo
Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would most likely be going for another round of spending spree when the January transfer window opens having been handed a princely sum of 75 million pounds (about N33.7bn) transfer budget by directors of the club.
The Norwegian who had before the start of the three-week old season ( in summer) signed on the trio of Harry Maguire, Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka spending a combined total of 147 million pounds has pencilled down 19-year old Borrusia Dortmund winger, Jadon Sancho as his number one target alongside Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff.
The Red Devils are believed to be swimming in cash after selling their Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku for 74 million pounds. The money raked in from Lukaku’s deal is to be used in funding the January transfer budget.
It would be noted that United had made moves to sign Sancho this summer only for the move to be rebuffed by Dortmund who were not willing to sell the teenager.
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As a way of proving their desire to keep Sancho, Dortmund rewarded him with a new contract worth around £190,000 a week.
United are reported to have been keeping a close eye on Sancho’s rapid rise in the Bundesliga and would in January make a fresh move for him.
According to a report in Metro.co.uk, “United are preparing to make a new move and will test Dortmund’s resolve once more in January.”
Solskjaer had also shown interest in signing the duo of Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic as replacement for Lukaku, especially with the imminent departure of Alexis Sanchez on loan to Inter Milan.
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Sanchez is not considered part of Solskjaer’s plans and his record wages of around £400,000-a-week have caused friction within the Untied squad.
Meanwhile, a former winger of the club, Ryan Giggs is impressed with the performance of the team’s forward Anthony Martial insisting that Martial would do well this term.
Giggs who spoke after United were held to a draw away by stubborn Wolves last week said Solskjaer should be “very pleased” with the performance of Martial.
In the words of Giggs: “I’ve worked with him and he can do it. ‘He is strong, and he can hold up the ball, proper centre-forward play. Balls into the channel, chesting it down, holding it up and laying it off and getting in the box, I think there’s a lot of promise there. ‘He has to do it now for 90 minutes. If I was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watching that, I’d be very pleased with his overall performance.”
Martial and Marcus Rashford are expected to lead the line and score the bulk of United’s goals this season following Lukaku’s switch to Inter Milan and the imminent departure of Sanchez