MANCHESTER UNITED could have signed three of the best players in the world for a bargain price but instead splashed the cash on three flops after disagreeing with ex-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
, 52, returned as head coach to the club where he reached legendary status as a player in 2018 and quickly earned a permanent contract after an impressive stint as interim boss.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to sign three superstars as Manchester United manager
Instead United brought back an ageing Cristiano Ronaldo
Jadon Sancho also joined Man Utd for a staggering fee
Man Utd splashed the cash to land Donny van de Beek as well
The ex- boss had big plans and was determined to follow in the footsteps of the club’s greatest manager Sir Alex Ferguson by reimposing unity and meritocracy within the squad.
According to The Mail , the Norwegian tactician quickly urged the Man Utd hierarchy to move fast for Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice before their rivals started to circle in.
, 25, was was stacking up the goals at Red Bull Salzburg, Bellingham, 22, was tearing it up at Birmingham City and Rice, 26, announced himself as the next big thing at West Ham.
Instead, United chiefs splashed £39million for Donny van de Beek in 2020, £73m for Jadon Sancho in 2021 and £13m for an ageing that same year.
Solskjaer saw two of his picks move to bigger and better things in 2020 as Haaland and joined Borussia Dortmund.
And Rice signed with Arsenal two years after the Norwegian was sacked from the Red Devils.
Van de Beek, 28, quickly fell down the pecking order and was loaned out to Everton as well as Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and 2024 respectively before his permanent exit to Girona last year.
Sancho, 25, also never lived up to the bill as he fell out with Solskjaer’s successor Erik ten Hag and endured an unremarkable loan stint at Chelsea last season following a brief return to Dortmund.
The winger is now on loan at Aston Villa where he has yet to stand out and is expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer as a free agent when his £250,000-a-week contract runs out
Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford 12 years after his move to Real Madrid after his agent Jorge Mendes put the fear of God at United by suggesting he will be joining Manchester City, and gave Solskjaer very little choice.
However, the star forward’s second stint at Man Utd was nothing like his first despite him bringing some important goals.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner proved to be a disruptive force in the back and it all led to an explosive interview where he lambasted the club as well as Ten Hag before the club tore his contract up in 2022.
Haaland is now the Premier League’s top scorer with a staggering 17 goals in 16 matches as a Man City player, Bellingham is eyeing the Ballon d’Or with Real Madrid and Rice is one of the driving forces pushing Arsenal to their first title since 2004.
Solskjaer wanted to sign Erling Haaland before his move to Manchester City
Bellingham could have moved to Man Utd before going to Real Madrid
Solskjaer also wanted Declan Rice but he ended up going to Arsenal
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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