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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Mark Critchley

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cautious over January transfer plans

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ( Manchester United via Getty Imag )

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that Manchester United may go without signing any new players in January despite their struggles this season.

United can qualify for the Europa League’s knockout stages with victory over Partizan Belgrade on Thursday night but have won just three of 11 league games domestically.

Solskjaer has previously said that United are looking to sign an attack-minded player after letting both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave the club with being replaced this summer.

Mario Mandzukic, the Juventus striker, has been widely linked with a move to Old Trafford but Solskjaer answered cautiously when asked about the prospect of new arrivals on Wednesday.

“The priority now is to get players fit and get through to the next round. We always look at the long term look at players,” the United manager said. 

“It might be none, might be one, might be two in January. It’s always the summer window that’s the big one. You can’t really do too many big deals in January.”

United are light in midfield as well as attack, with Paul Pogba sidelined with an ankle injury first sustained in late August. Solskjaer confirmed on Wednesday that Pogba will return in early December.

Victor Lindelof will also miss Thursday’s Group L clash with Partizan after suffering a back injury in last week’s EFL Cup fourth round win at Chelsea.

Lindelof struggled while playing through pain three days later in the defeat at Bournemouth and will not be risked for the visit of Partizan.

“He won’t be fit for tomorrow,” Solskjaer said. “He got a knock against Chelsea and he didn’t come through the game against Bournemouth without the reaction, so he will be out tomorrow.”

“[Pogba] won’t be too long before he he’s out of his cast, he’ll work through the international break and hopefully we’ll have him back in early December.”

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