21 September 2023 , 05:30
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has appeared to criticise Manchester United’s former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and his approach to transfers at the club.
Solskjaer was United boss between December 2018 and November 2021 but despite making several successful signings at the club – most notably that of current club captain Bruno Fernandes – his spell was also marked by multiple of his first-choice signings not being bought by the Red Devils.
Stars such as Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Moises Caicedo, Jack Grealish and Declan Rice were all wanted by the Norwegian but United failed to land any of them during his tenure in the dugout. Solskjaer has claimed that there was a ‘cap’ on signings he could make.
He revealed it was made clear to him upon taking the job that there would be no bottomless pit of cash, instead his marquee arrivals would be limited per season. That directive would have been implemented by Woodward, who headed the club's transfer activity and was essentially Solskjaer's boss.
“There was a cap on three main ones (signings) every season,” Solskjaer explained this week in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic. That was a policy seemingly implemented by Woodward, who oversaw United’s transfer business during the Norwegian’s time in the dugout.
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“I signed up for it when I arrived,” Solskjaer continued. “I understood my remit and agreed to it. I can’t complain now and I’m not the type to moan after losing my job, but United have spent a lot more in the two summer transfer windows since I was there. They have seen what the club needs.”
That last comment was important. Woodward had been the club’s executive vice-chairman since 2013 but he was replaced ahead of Ten Hag’s arrival in early 2022 by Richard Arnold, who stepped up from role as United’s managing director.
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Ed Woodward left his position as United's CEO in early 2022 (PA)Solskjaer continued, when analysing United’s transfer business under Ten Hag: “United have signed some good players — Rasmus Hojlund will be exciting and is the type of player United need to be signing.”
United have spent heavily since Ten Hag’s arrival in the summer of 2022, with Hojlund joining a lengthy list of arrivals including Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.