Manchester United will look at loan signings in January, says Solskjaer

Manchester United could make use of the loan market to strengthen their team in January, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United are still looking to recover from their worst start to a league season for 30 years, languishing in 10th in the Premier League and having lost four of their opening 12 games.

The manager will be hopeful that a corner has been turned following the 3-1 win against Brighton with which the team signed off before the international break.

United still face a daunting task if they are to haul themselves into contention for qualifying for the Champions League, with the gap to make up to fourth-place Chelsea still 10 points.

“It’s not about X amount of money,” said Solskjaer when asked how big the club’s transfer budget might be.

“[Buying players] is about who we think is going to be good for the club in the long term, not just for three or four months.

”[Are those people available?] Probably not, because that’s the thing in January – not many clubs will sell players they want to keep in January. 

“Maybe one or two could be a loan deal, but that’s not a money thing, that’s to help the team. But we’re getting players back. We’re looking at what can be available for us.”

Former manager Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles during 26 years at Old Trafford, said on Saturday he is keen to see United build on the strong foundations the club has in place.

Ferguson said he believes the challenge facing Solskjaer remains a long-term recovery job, and the players should embrace the pressure of returning a fallen giant to the top of the domestic and European game.

He told United Review when asked for his take on the club’s future: “Well, we’ve got a great structure at the club.

“We’ve got a lot of good young players coming through, that’s never changed.

“There’s always that challenge, and what’s happening at the moment is a challenge, but with a bit of luck – and a bit of perseverance – we’ll sort it out.”