Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer splashed the cash in the transfer window, but a former England winger has insisted the Norwegian should have signed a certain defensive midfielder
Video Unavailable
Ronaldo’s record-breaking double ‘no surprise’ to Portugal boss
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been warned by a former England winger over a possible transfer mistake.
Phillips has immensely furthered his development in recent times and the midfielder has become one of the key figures in Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds side.
The 25-year-old also starred for Gareth Southgate’s England at Euro 2020, where he helped his country reach the final.
And Trevor Sinclair has said he is ‘surprised’ United didn’t make an attempt to sign Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the transfer window just gone.
“‘I think Kalvin Phillips is ready [to join a top-four club],” Sinclair told talkSPORT.
“If Leeds do not really pick up this season and start threatening the top four, I think Kalvin Phillips will go.
“I am actually quite surprised that Manchester United didn’t have a look at him.”
United had been linked with a move for a number of defensive midfielders, but the Red Devils didn’t sign any in the end.
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice was strongly linked with a transfer to Old Trafford, however any potential deal failed to materialise.
Instead United completed the signing of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane – from Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively – for £73m and £45m.
Cristiano Ronaldo also returned to the club 12 years after he left for Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £80m.
Solskjaer’s United have enjoyed a positive start to the season so far which has seen take seven points from their opening three Premier League games.
However, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville feels United are still a little way off winning the Premier League.
“Manchester United have got fantastic forward players,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“They’ve got good creative players in Pogba and Fernandes and Van de Beek, so with Sancho wide with Rashford, Martial and Greenwood they should create plenty of chances for him [Ronaldo].
“Obviously the question would be… look, I love Cavani so it’s whether they play either or, or if they can both play together somehow.
(
Image:
Getty Images)
“Including myself everyone is thinking that Cristiano is going to play No. 9 but could he just play to the left of Cavani and then Greenwood and Sancho to the right, which I just think would be a guarantee of goals and they’ll obviously have to settle down as a team.
“The performances so far this season… the Leeds one was good but the two away performances they’ve really struggled and the Wolves one was not a good team performance.
“But what they have is a number of players that can go and win a match in a moment and Cristiano adds to that. His movement in the box and his willingness to score goals is better than anybody.
“It strengthens Manchester United enormously but the big question that every fan in the Premier League will be asking is: is it enough for them to win the title? I don’t quite feel it is. I still think there’s a couple of teams that are better.
“The Premier League is the strongest it’s been since the mid-2000s. I think it’s an unbelievably strong Premier League at this moment in time with great coaches, great teams, great players and that’s been strengthened by this transfer window.”
United will take on Newcastle at Old Trafford next Saturday following the international break, with 36-year-old Ronaldo set to make his debut.