Ole Gunnar Solskjaer delivers warning as Man Utd continue to toil over Harry Maguire and Sean Longstaff deals

Solskjaer says he must now concentrate on getting the players he has ready for the new season.
Getty Images

Ole Gunnar Solskjær delivered a stark warning to Manchester United before the season has even begun and they continue to labour over transfer targets.

The Norwegian has been determined to overhaul a squad that ended the campaign with one win in nine and missed out on the Champions League for the third time in six years.

But with time running out to bring in at least two more signings before the transfer deadline on August 8, the United manager’s preparations for his first full season in charge remain in flux.

“As I’ve said a few times, we’re working on one or two cases, but my objective here now is we’ve got to get ready for the games and training sessions,” said Solskjaer. “Of course the transfer window will close when the league starts.

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“The start of the season is important, that’s why we’ve worked them hard.

“I don’t think many of the players have had a pre-season like this before in the last two or three years because there have been championships. It’s their first pre-season for a little while.

“So, for us, in the first eight to 10 games you don’t win anything - but you can definitely lose the chance to win things. The first two months are vital for us.”

The concern for United is the number of uncertainties surrounding the squad with the season just three weeks away.

After winning just one of their last nine games at the end of last term, it is vital they get off to a flying start to ease pressure on Solskjaer.

A replacement for Romelu Lukaku – who will sit out Saturday’s game against Inter Milan amid the Italians’ attempts to sign him – will be required on top of at least two more signings Solskjaer wants to bring in.

United are still to meet Leicester's asking price.
Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

United are still to meet Leicester’s £90m asking price for Harry Maguire and are planning their next move for Sean Longstaff after being stunned by Newcastle’s £50m asking price.

Paul Pogba is another who wants a move away – and speculation will surround his future right up until the Spanish and Italian transfer deadlines on September 2.

None of this is helpful to Solskjaer, who admits the season could effectively be over within weeks of the new campaign.

United face a testing start in the Premier League, with an opening day fixture against Chelsea and clashes with Liverpool and Arsenal in their first nine games.

They also take on Wolves, who beat them twice last season and also drew at Old Trafford.

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With Solskjaer desperate to close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool, he added: “The Premier League is a very competitive league and what those two teams did last season was exceptional. To get 97 and 98 points I don’t think that’ll happen again and I think we will see a closer race this season.

“There are six teams there that you can say will want to challenge for Champions League places and there are also one or two underneath that would like that. But we have to focus on ourselves, be better, improve, make sure United is our only focus and I’m sure we will get closer to the top.

“We’re working on putting a squad together that can compete.”

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