Solskjaer says Manchester United unlikely to spend big in January

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said re is little hope of Manchester United being able to make significant additions to ir under-performing squad in January transfer window. United have been linked with a long list of potential new recruits as Solskjaer seeks to improve after an inconsistent start to season. Names like England winger Jadon Sancho, currently with Borussia Dortmund but reportedly keen to return to English football, Leicester playmaker James Maddison and Salzburg striker Erling Braut Haaland, one of most sought after young talents in Europe, have all been linked with United.

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A possible move for Haaland appears particularly plausible, given that Solskjaer worked with forward while at rwegian side Molde. But, given constraints presented by mid-season window, Solskjaer insists that talk of a wholesale injection of fresh blood in January is fanciful. "It is t about 'x' amount of money, it is about who do we think will be good for club in long-term, t just three or four months," he said on Saturday.

"t many clubs want to sell players that y would orwise want to keep in January.

"Maybe one or two could be a loan deal but that is t a big money thing, it is just to help team. But we are getting players back and we are looking at what can be available for us." 

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firm return date for Pogba

Getting players back to fitness has been one of many challenges faced by United manr over opening weeks of campaign, with French World Cup winner Paul Pogba most table absentee. re is still firm date for Pogba to return form a persistent ankle problem, with most optimistic estimates appearing to put his possible comeback in mid-December. But United's difficulties in centre of midfield have been exacerbated by loss of Scott McTominay, who injured his ankle before international break, and veteran Nemanja Matic who has only just returned to training after nearly seven weeks out.

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problems do t appear likely to be solved in time for start of next month which kicks off with United welcoming Tottenham, and ir recently-appointed former United manr Jose Mourinho, to Old Trafford before visiting City in season's first Manchester derby. However, Solskjaer has pointed to recent improvements shown by Brazilian midfielder Fred, a disappointment last season after a 52 million pound move from Shakhtar Donetsk, with his manr finally believing that 26-year-old is living up to his potential. "First of all, price tag, that is ne of Fred's concern, and it shouldn't be because that is just how football has gone," said United manr.

" prices wadays, you think, 'Hmm' but market today is different to what it was. That shouldn't be on Fred, that should be on us.

"Fred came in, he did well to start with. n he hit a difficult period. n when I came in, he found it hard, n he had a very good period. And w he is having a very good period again. He is showing what we saw in him.

"He is more confident, he believes in himself. He has come to a new country, biggest club in world, he is learning langu. He is speaking good English w,  I don't have to speak very slowly to him when we talk to him w." 

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