Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still has plenty to sort before the new season

There has been a distinct ‘nearly but not quite’ feel about much of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United.

Not only in terms of missing out on the major honours but their perpetual state of transition, of always being a signing or two away from restoring old glories.

While Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool have all zoomed past them to win Premier League and European titles, eight years of managerial changes and poor recruitment have held United back.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can be pleased with Manchester United’s summer recruitment but knows he still has plenty of work to do before the new season kicks off in just a few weeks’ time

The Norwegian has extended his United contract until 2024 ahead of the forthcoming season

David Moyes stood little chance under the white-hot scrutiny of succeeding Ferguson, even while inheriting a declining squad.

Louis van Gaal demanded a complete overhaul that led to scattergun signings and everything had to be ripped up yet again for Jose Mourinho with enormous sums lavished.

But finally, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who extended his contract until 2024 last week, there does seem to be some method to United’s recruitment.

It’s been slow and steady progress under the Norwegian club legend, who first came to the club 25 years ago this week, and he has yet to deliver a trophy – but at least much of it makes sense.

There has been an emphasis in the main on recruiting talented young players who still have development potential, while areas of weakness are identified and strengthened.

United have already wrapped up the signing of Jadon Sancho for £73million from Dortmund, and have now sealed a deal for Real Madrid and France defender Raphael Varane (right)

With Jadon Sancho bought from Borussia Dortmund for £73million, significantly less than his price tag was 12 months ago, United have addressed a perceived weak link on the right side of their attack.

Boasting attacking options including Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani, they can claim to have one of the best forward lines in the Premier League.

And with a £42m deal for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane confirmed by the club and all but finalised, Solskjaer has successfully plugged the glaring weakness at the heart of his defence. Captain Harry Maguire will have a partner who is a proven winner and world class at his art.

The outlay is a significant statement of intent but it ramps up the pressure on Solskjaer ahead of the new season. That silverware must come now, he can no longer fall back on the excuse that United ‘need reinforcements’ or are ‘still building’.

So as the new campaign approaches, what else is there for Solskjaer to sort out?

Solve the Pogba puzzle

United have done well to avoid another transfer saga with Sancho this summer but they could yet find themselves immersed in one with a player departing Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba has one year remaining on his contract and if United want to recoup any of that world record £89mthey paid for him back in 2016, they need to sell now.

The outlay on Sancho and Varane, around £115m, makes an expected fee of £43m or more for the French midfielder, linked strongly with Paris Saint-Germain, all the more essential.

Solskjaer must decide whether to cash in on Paul Pogba as his contract enters its last year

But it remains a dilemma for Solskjaer, who will feel Pogba enjoyed a pretty good season for United in 2020-21 and then performed very well for France at Euro 2020.

Is this the springboard for Pogba to finally deliver in United colours and inspire them to the Premier League title, or just another false dawn?

After all, we’ve waited five years for him to deliver and all he’s won with United is the EFL Cup and the Europa League in 2017, with plenty of lost semi-finals and finals along the way.

Then there’s the possibility of Pogba sulking or his meddlesome agent Mino Raiola lobbing more verbal grenades at vital points in the season.

On balance, it’s probably time for United to cut their losses on Pogba and ensure they receive some money this year rather than see him depart for nothing in 2022. It could save them plenty of hassle too.

Midfield is the next priority

Regardless of whether or not Pogba is sold, United’s next priority in the transfer market must be to sign another midfielder.

It wasn’t their Achilles heel last season but remained a nagging concern. Particularly when Pogba was out injured, they were guilty of being too conservative with Solskjaer opting for two holding midfielders against modest opposition.

United need someone to link front and back, an accomplished passer who can link with Bruno Fernandes in the No 10 role or ping ball into wide areas for the speedy players to chase.

Saul Niguez of Atletico Madrid is a midfield target as United look to further strengthen; it was a baffling first season at Old Trafford for Donny van de Beek (right), whose play was limited

They were linked with the £80m-valued Declan Rice of West Ham but he isn’t really what they need. Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, who could be available for £45m, would be more like it as a long-term Pogba replacement.

It would be a good price for a Spain international who is hugely experienced in Champions League football and is contracted to Atletico until 2026.

Bringing in Saul would make Solskjaer feel a lot better because if Pogba were to go, his midfield options of Scott McTominay, Fred, Nemanja Matic and Donny van de Beek are, unfortunately, not title-winning class.

After making the right purchases in attack and at centre-back, it would be criminal to then allow the midfield to become the area of weakness.

Trippier could add further strength

One feature of Ferguson’s greatest United sides was that they generally had two top quality players in each position.

Atletico Madrid and England right-back Kieran Trippier is another summer target

The constant flux of the past eight years has eroded this. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was their only recognised right-back last season, for example.

Though Wan-Bissaka is an excellent tackler, he does get caught out by long diagonal passes and players running in at the back post. Going forward, he often frustrates by cutting back instead of crossing from good positions.

Wan-Bissaka is only 23 and will improve but there’s a reason United want to sign another player in that position in England star Kieran Trippier.

He’s a top-class crosser of the ball (which Cavani, in particular, would thrive off) and striker of a dead ball, plus he has a strong suit of defensive attributes.

However, Atletico want £43m for Trippier and that will stretch United’s budget to the limit if they’re not able to balance the book with sales.

You get the feeling that with Wan-Bissaka already holding down the right-back position, Trippier is more of a luxury buy and the midfield is where the focus should be.

Trippier would be an upgrade in some respects from existing right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka 

Who’s going to be No 1?

One area where United won’t be short is in goal. David de Gea and Dean Henderson were already locked in a competition to the No 1 and now Tom Heaton, 35, is back as well.

Heaton started his career at Old Trafford before going on to play extensively in the Premier League and the Championship with Cardiff, Burnley and Aston Villa.

He will expect to round off his career with at least a few appearances in a United shirt but really it’s Henderson and De Gea who’ll be battling for Solskjaer’s favour.

Dean Henderson (left) and David De Gea (right) will compete for the goalkeeper gloves 

The Spaniard played in 36 matches last season but his once iron grip on the position has been weakened and his questionable penalty-saving abilities were criticised in the Europa League final.

Henderson featured in 26 games in his first full season at United but at no point managed to oust De Gea as he intended to.

Solskjaer needs to make a decision between the two as chopping and changing makes it harder to form an understanding with the defence.

Tom Heaton, 35, has returned to United and will be hoping for some match action this season

Compensating for Rashford’s absence

One immediate decision to make is whether Marcus Rashford should go ahead with the shoulder surgery he needs to fix a long-standing issue.

Having played with the muscle tear in his left shoulder since November, the England star feels it should be fixed right away so he is fit for the business end of the coming season.

Rashford, who scored 21 goals for United last season, would miss around 11 games, including what is a pretty favourable Premier League opening for United and half their Champions League group stage.

Marcus Rashford needs shoulder surgery and may not return until the end of October 

The 23-year-old has been playing through the pain of the injury for several months now

He could return for the crunch match against Liverpool on October 23, by which time United will have hoped to make a strong start at home and abroad.

Logic suggests Rashford should have the surgery now and return in good time to play an important role later in the season.

Besides, United have plenty of cover. Sancho could just as easily play on Rashford’s left flank position, Martial could slot in there or Dan James. It’s certainly an early-season loss, but a manageable one.

Balance the books by clearing the deadwood

Over £100m already spent and the potential for another two signings around the £40m mark means United are on course for another free-spending summer.

It might not match the £210m spent in 2019-20 but the Covid-19 pandemic and a 75,000-seater stadium sitting empty last season has changed things.

United will have to find a way of raising some money and trimming their squad in the process.

Jesse Lingard scored in United’s friendly loss at QPR and is attracting plenty of interest

Selling Pogba would help, while there is plenty of interest in Jesse Lingard, valued at £30m, after he resurrected his career on loan at West Ham.

Everton, West Ham and Atletico Madrid have been named as potential destinations for Lingard and the money raised would certainly be welcome in United’s coffers.

They are also likely to offload Andreas Pereira, who spent last season on loan at Lazio and has very much become surplus to requirements having been a regular in Solskjaer’s first full season.

Andreas Pereira, who spent last season on loan at Lazio, could be another moved out

Get in the right mental state for title challenge

United had a tantalising taste of how it feels to be genuinely part of the Premier League title race when they briefly topped the table at the turn of the year.

Manchester City soon zoomed past them but hopefully those players who haven’t won the title before will remember that and be motivated to push on.

Solskjaer has the benefit of a longer pre-season this time around and it’s imperative they hit the ground running this time with a fairly kind set of games.

They lost three of their first six league games last season, almost killing off their chance before they’d even begun.

United struggled to recover from the poor start they made in the Premier League last season

But they should be targeting maximum returns from an opening sequence against Leeds, Southampton, Wolves, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton.

A far tougher few weeks in which they play Leicester, Liverpool, Tottenham, Man City and Chelsea then lie in wait. So a bright start is essential.

United also need urgent improvement at Old Trafford. They won just nine of 19 matches there last season, a contrast to their strong away form.

The return of home fans will help as they try to make it into a fortress again.