Solskjaer makes Man Utd transfer admission in pursuit of Champions League qualification

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits that Champions League qualification is imperative if Manchester United are to secure their top targets in the next transfer window.

The Red Devils are in the process of piecing together recruitment plans.

With the uncertainty surrounding their managerial post having been ended by the penning of a three-year contract by Solskjaer, attention can now shift to matters on the field.

The general consensus is that several additions need to be made to the United squad, with there already calls for big money to be made available.

Solskjaer will likely get the backing he requires from an ambitious board, but he concedes that elite European competition will be required in order to land the best players in the market.

Quizzed on the importance of Champions League football to his rebuilding project, the Norwegian said: “I’ve answered that question quite a few times, Manchester United and our history and traditions and our potential will always be interesting for players but the better you do, the better results you get and players will like to come.

“Champions League next year would be fantastic. When we came in three months ago we were 11 points behind [the top four]. Now we’re in that position, we’ve just got to go into the next seven games with the same attitude, let’s go for it, see how it takes us.

“Let’s just keep carrying on, don’t change your approach on how to attack games, sometimes you get more of the ball, sometimes you have to defend well.”

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United have moved back into the Premier League’s top four on the back of a scrappy 2-1 victory over Watford and, while Arsenal could overtake them on Monday, they are level on points with third-placed Tottenham.

Progress is being made where it matters most, but there are also plans to move the club forward off the pitch.

Director of football continues to be a position that United are expected to fill at some stage, with Solskjaer claiming that he would be happy to see another experienced figure join the Red Devils fold.

He said of a role that has generated links to the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar: “Football has changed and the structure at football clubs has changed.

“Me and Ed [Woodward] and Joel [Glazer] are looking at how can this club be run as smoothly and as well as possible, so we’ll see what the club will end up with and I’m happy discussing football with knowledgeable people in the right positions.

“From the first couple of managers, it used to be club secretaries back then when we were founded more than 100 years ago, but that’s the way football goes, a manager can’t do as much as he used to do when my gaffer [Sir Alex Ferguson] started.”

United are set to be back in Premier League action on Tuesday when they take in a trip to Wolves.