Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will get final say on Man United's transfers

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will get final say on Manchester United’s incoming transfer deals after Red Devils announced new first-team structure involving John Murtough and Darren Fletcher

• Manchester United announced a new first-team recruitment structure this week 
• John Murtough is the new football director – Darren Fletcher is technical director
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will get final say over United’s incoming signings
• The Red Devils are trying to avoid expensive mistakes made in recent years 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have a final veto on transfers in Manchester United’s new recruitment regime but incoming football director John Murtough will also be able to block transfers he doesn’t think are viable.

United are keen that last week’s appointment of Murtough and former player Darren Fletcher as technical director doesn’t weaken the authority of Solskjaer whose side face top-four rivals West Ham on Sunday.

The manager has been given assurances the club won’t buy any players he doesn’t want but likewise Murtough won’t sign off on targets he feels represent poor value after taking into consideration the data analysis and scouting reports from his wider department.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have the final say on transfers after a Manchester United shake-up

The Red Devils announced John Murtough (left) as football director with Darren Fletcher (right) promoted to technical director

It’s hoped the collective responsibility will help end some of the transfer decisions made post-Sir Alex Ferguson when several big-money stars like Angel Di Maria, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez arrived and left Old Trafford in quick succession.

United want to sign at least one blue-chip player this summer despite the impact of the global financial pandemic. They are one of several clubs linked with Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, who began his career under Solskjaer at Molde.

Solskjaer has declared himself satisfied with the new system at Old Trafford.

United are trying to avoid repeats of expensive failed buys like Angel Di Maria (left) and Falcao

‘I was consulted. It wasn’t my decision but I was very supportive of it,’ he said. ‘John is easy to communicate with. He knows what I want because we speak freely.

‘The club would never buy a player that the manager of Man United didn’t want. We do have a process. We’ve got the scouting and then the analysis, but it is always about the manager’s remit.

‘All the players who have come in have been identified by every one of us.’

United’s director of recruitment Stephen Brown and Matt Judge, in charge of player negotiations, will report to Murtough as will a large scouting team including Marcel Bout and Mick Court.

Solskjaer (left) is happy with the new structure that involves ex-United man Fletcher (right)

In turn, Murtough and Solskjaer will then separately report to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

On the pitch, second-place United face West Ham on a 12-game unbeaten run, though they were held by AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday despite teenager Amad Diallo’s first United goal with a brilliant backwards header.

Today’s game also marks a return to Old Trafford for David Moyes who was sacked after eight months in 2014 as the immediate successor to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Solskjaer (right) comes up against David Moyes (middle) on Sunday in the visit of West Ham

‘David wouldn’t have taken it if he didn’t want the job,’ said Solskjaer. ‘It’s a dream job for many managers and unfortunately David didn’t last for as long as he would have wanted.

‘But he’s proving again what he’s capable of at West Ham. You don’t get results over a long period without working at it – and you can see how well organised they are.’

Dean Henderson is likely to retain his place in the home goal despite being blamed for Milan’s equaliser. Regular No1 David de Gea has been in Spain after being granted paternity leave by Solskjaer but the manager insists he still has a place back at the club.

Dean Henderson is expected to return in goal despite his mistake against AC Milan this week

‘David has been here 10 years and been absolutely brilliant for us,’ said Solskjaer. ‘He has pulled off save after save at the highest level. There is no such thing as an undisputed No 1 here. You have got to perform.

‘I am not blind. I have seen people writing David off. That is completely wrong. He is a top goalkeeper. He was allowed to go home for the birth of his first kid and Dean has come in and performed really well.

‘They know they have to perform. They have to train well, give to the team and whichever one isn’t playing has to support the other one from the bench.’

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