The Red Devils legend wants to see a show of ambition from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the summer recruitment window
Gary Neville has urged Manchester United to make “next level” signings in the summer transfer window, with Raphael Varane, Harry Kane, Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland considered to fit the mould.
The Red Devils are expected to add at the next opportunity, with further reinforcement required in order to build on the foundations of 2020-21 that have delivered a runners-up finish in the Premier League and a Europa League final appearance.
It remains to be seen how much money will be made available to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but Neville wants to see statements of intent made at Old Trafford in a bid to close a title-chasing gap on Manchester City and Liverpool.
What has been said?
Former Red Devils defender Neville told Sky Sports ahead of a continental showdown with Villarreal in Gdansk: “If Man Utd can win on Wednesday, this has been a really good season for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it would demonstrate great progress.
“Then you are talking about recruitment – you are talking about Varane, Kane, Haaland, Sancho. Those players that you know can take them to that next level. There would be numbers in those attacking areas which means they would become more exceptional in front of goal.
“Then a player at the back that would give that partnership alongside [Harry] Maguire that you could see being there for three or four years and would really challenge and put United at the forefront of challenging City and Liverpool.
“But Solskjaer is going to have to do something exceptional because [Thomas] Tuchel, [Pep] Guardiola and [Jurgen] Klopp are exceptional winning managers and they are hungry and ruthless.
“They want to win relentlessly so Man Utd cannot think that, if they win the Europa League on Wednesday and finish in second, that they still do not need that jump up a level. They are still 12 points behind City, you have got to swing that four games and it does not happen easily.
“So United have got to do big things this summer and Wednesday is such an important moment in the club’s history for Solskjaer and these players to get a medal around their necks.”
The bigger picture
United have been linked with all of those mentioned by Neville.
Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland was targeted prior to his 2020 move to Germany, with Solskjaer having previously worked with his fellow Norwegian at Molde.
Kane is another prolific frontman for the Red Devils to consider, with the England captain ready to push for a switch away from Tottenham as he looks to chase down elusive silverware.
Real Madrid defender Varane is a long-standing target at Old Trafford, and the World Cup-winning French centre-half may become available this summer as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract in Spain.
Sancho could also see interest from Manchester in his services rekindled, with United ready to step up their efforts to bring the England international winger back to his homeland from Bundesliga giants Dortmund.
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