Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw his ambitious plans to sign three future superstars blocked by the club's hierarchy, it has been revealed.
The Transfer Targets That Got Away
During his tenure at Old Trafford, which ran from 2018 to 2021, Solskjaer identified three young talents he believed were destined for the top. He urged the club's decision-makers to act swiftly to secure Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice before their values skyrocketed.
At the time, Haaland was scoring freely for Red Bull Salzburg, Bellingham was emerging at Birmingham City, and Rice was establishing himself as a key figure at West Ham United. Solskjaer's pleas, however, fell on deaf ears at the United boardroom level.
Costly Decisions and Alternative Signings
Instead of pursuing Solskjaer's recommended signings, Manchester United opted for a different transfer strategy. In the summer of 2020, they spent £39 million on Donny van de Beek. The following year, a further £73 million was invested in Jadon Sancho and £13 million brought Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club.
These moves largely failed to deliver the desired impact. Van de Beek struggled for game time and eventually left, while Sancho is currently on loan at Aston Villa after falling out of favour. Ronaldo's contract was terminated early after a breakdown in his relationship with successor Erik ten Hag.
Meanwhile, the players Solskjaer wanted flourished elsewhere. Both Haaland and Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020, before moving to Manchester City and Real Madrid for colossal fees, respectively. Rice developed into a Premier League champion and England stalwart before his high-profile move to Arsenal.
Solskjaer's Personal Push for Haaland
The Norwegian coach had a particularly close insight into Haaland's potential, having managed him at Molde. Solskjaer has publicly stated that he first recommended United sign the striker in the summer of 2018, months before he replaced Jose Mourinho.
Speaking on the Stick To Football podcast, Solskjaer recounted his efforts. "I rang the club and said: 'You have to sign this boy, he is going to be absolutely top class,'" he revealed. "By the time I came in as caretaker, we had sold him to Salzburg. I told the club straight away: 'Buy him.' He had a release clause. It was 20m euros and it would have been a bargain."
Solskjaer also managed to bring Jude Bellingham and his family to the club's Carrington training ground. "We sold the club to him as best we could," Solskjaer said, "but he wanted X amount of minutes. He is the most mature 17-year-old I ever met in my life." United's inability to guarantee that playing time saw Bellingham choose a path to Dortmund.
The revelation highlights a pivotal moment of missed opportunity in Manchester United's recent transfer history, showcasing a divergence in vision between the manager and the executives above him, with long-term consequences for the club's competitiveness.
