Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken Manchester United to within touching distance of challenging their rivals Manchester City once again.
But the Norwegian is well aware of what he needs to do to bridge the gap and has publicly urged the board to supply him with the necessary funds to equip them for a title challenge next season.
Ironically, it was Man United who helped City clinch their third Premier League title in five years under Pep Guardiola, after the Red Devils’ much-changed XI went down 2-1 to Leicester on Tuesday.
Finishing second would certainly not represent a failure, but for 20-time English champions, going eight years without domestic success won’t be tolerated for much longer.
Solskjaer appears to agree with that sentiment but is demanding the right tools to fix their problem areas, with a centre-back his most urgent priority ahead of the summer transfer window.
"If we want to take up the challenge with them we need to strengthen our squad," he told BT Sport.
"We want to take the next step and it might be that we need a couple more to strengthen the squad.”
Mirror Sport take a look what Man Utd must do to close the gap on their rivals Man City...
Revive Sancho deal
If Man United are serious about catching Man City, there aren’t many available options more appealing than Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.
The Red Devils failed in their attempts to capture his signature last summer, but Bild report the 21-year-old has sight his sights on a move back to England — and his recent comments on his future will only fuel such speculation.
“Will I leave the club? I don’t know about my future,” he said after their 3-2 win over RB Leipzig.
“I am very happy here in Dortmund at the moment. I love the club, the fans and the team. They gave me my first professional start.”
According to the Manchester Evening News, Sancho was left unimpressed with his agent Emeka Obasi’s failure to finalise a transfer.
Considering this and Solskjaer’s desire to strengthen the squad, it is believed the England international will seek to push through a deal again this summer.
Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has previously admitted the club would consider selling players to soften the blow from the coronavirus pandemic — and that could include offloading Sancho.
"If there is an exceptional offer we will discuss it with the player and the agent, as always,” he said in March.
After seeing a bid of £91m reportedly turned down last summer, it might just be time for United to return to the negotiating table.
Check off Bruno’s wish list
If Solskjaer needs to show evidence of why he must be backed in the transfer market, Bruno Fernandes should be front and centre of his PowerPoint Presentation.
The Portugal international has been tipped to win the PFA Player of the Year award after a phenomenal return of 27 goals and 17 assists in all competitions, with Solskjaer keen to build his squad around the playmaker.
The Sun report United want to hand the 26-year-old a new contract which would double his wages to £200,000-a-week. But before he puts pen to paper, it is understood Fernandes wants guarantees that problem areas will be addressed with new arrivals.
A centre-back and a defensive midfielder are thought to be top of the list, with the United boss reportedly considering Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane and Villarreal’s centre-back Pau Torres as potential partners for Harry Maguire.
Declan Rice is among their top targets in searching for a holding midfield. However, West Ham are desperate to keep hold of the England international and would likely demand that his £80m asking price is met in full.
Solskjaer will be doing everything in his power to keep a key player like Fernandes happy under his management, and signing players of Varane or Rice’s stature would go a long way to making that happen.
Appease the fans
The Glazers have never been especially popular with Manchester United supporters since taking over the club in 2005.
Relations between the hierarchy and supporters plummeted to an all-time low following their decision to join the breakaway European Super League last month, only to see the venture collapse 48 hours later.
United fans have made their dissenting voices heard after holding protests at Old Trafford, which forced the postponement of their match against Liverpool. There are plans for another demonstration before the rearranged on Thursday, only serving to highlight the tension between the two parties at present.
A few miles away at the Etihad Stadium, the fans must be delighted with Sheikh Mansour commitment in furthering the club’s success. Pep Guardiola is consistently handed a healthy budget to work with every season and with tangible results, as City prepare for their first Champions League final.
If the Glazers are serious about continuing their ownership of the club, they will need to get the fans back on their side.
It will not solve all of their problems, but handing Solskjaer a significant transfer war chest would be one way of indicating they are willing to put their money where their mouth is.
