Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has opened up on the process Manchester United go through when assessing the suitability of transfer targets.
United's most recent transfer business came in the January window when they brought in Odion Ighalo on loan and sealed a permanent deal for Bruno Fernandes.
The Fernandes signing has proved to be a masterstroke from Solskjaer, with the Portuguese playmaker scoring six goals and laying on four assists in the Premier League to help United achieve a third place finish.
Solskjaer revealed to the High Performance podcast that he had a conversation with former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo about the ex-Sporting Lisbon star, with Fernandes' personality a big factor in the move.
“You’ve got the chief scouts and the analysis that breaks it down to the minute detail," said the United boss. "But you speak to teammates that maybe played with him for the international team. So obviously Cristiano was an easy goal for me that I managed to get through Patrice [Evra], I managed to get hold of Cristiano and his recommendation obviously stands him in good stead.
“I think for English internationals, for example, you speak to Marcus [Rashford].
"What do you think of such and such team-mate of yours? Do you think he'll fit? Harry Maguire, for example, you follow his Instagram account, Twitter, you see what kind of personalities they are. Mick Phelan had him at Hull. And we know more or less everything we need to know about a personality.
“You can’t do that every time, sometimes you have to take a hunch. You look at the human qualities as well.”
Solskjaer also revealed what he says to a player when they sign for United and why his philosophy in man management has changed in recent years.
“First of all, I’ve got to manage for the best for the club," he added. "But you tell a player ‘you’ve got a chance to make a career at the biggest club in the world, you can make history and I want to be here to help you, but I can’t do everything for you - you’ve got to step up yourself’.
"But I’ve changed quite a lot since I started managing, 10 years ago since I started with Molde. I was more direct then and I said it how it is. The millennials need a different way of managing, and sometimes to be spoon fed. You treat them differently but you challenge them.”
