Owen Hargreaves has urged Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to prioritise signing Jadon Sancho and someone who can play like Wilfred Ndidi this summer.
The Red Devils were on a 11-match unbeaten run in all competitions before the powers that be — the FA, Premier League and Uefa — suspended football amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Man Utd’s recent turnaround: Five key things to know…
- Man Utd began 2020 with four defeats across seven matches.
- This led to calls for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be removed as manager.
- However things changed following the arrival of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP.
- Man Utd would go on a 11-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
- But it remains to be seen when the 2019/20 resumes after all football was postponed following the coronavirus outbreak.
This was an upswing in form, which currently leaves Man Utd sitting fifth in the Premier League, and three points below Chelsea who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.
Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in January has been a catalyst, the Portuguese midfielder has yet to suffer a defeat in the red jersey, winning six of the nine matches he’s been involved whilst scoring three goals and creating four more.
Prior to his arrival Solskjaer was under intense pressure with many calling for his removal from office, however this recent upsurge has all but confirmed his stay beyond this season, with Hargreaves feeling his former club must strengthen in at least two key area to continue their rise up the table.
Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
The former Bayern Munich midfielder identified England international and Borussia Dortmund star Sancho as someone who can improve their attack with a defensive midfielder, in the same vein as Ndidi, as a must if Paul Pogba and Fernandes are to play alongside each other.
“It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality,” he told Premier League Productions on what Solskjaer’s needs.
“If you can have a Jadon Sancho – they need a right winger – Sancho playing off the right would make a huge difference.
Bruno Fernandes is the third Portuguese player to be named Premier League Player of the Month:
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo x 4
🇵🇹 Deco
🇵🇹 Bruno FernandesDeco also won the award after his first month. pic.twitter.com/EWzuJbJj98
— Squawka (@Squawka) March 16, 2020
“[Jude] Bellingham is 16 or 17, he’s going to be a super player but you need someone right now.
“I think they need an Ndidi type, a defensive sitter. If you have [Paul] Pogba and [Bruno] Fernandes then I think you need a defensive one there.
“I think they also need a left-sided centre-back. They have [Victor] Lindelof, [Harry] Maguire, [Eric] Bailly but a left-sided centre-back would make a big difference.”
