Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that he has outlined his long-term vision for Manchester United to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
United hired Solskjaer on a caretaker basis to replace Jose Mourinho in December, acting as a stop-gap, while they conduct a “thorough recruitment process” for a permanent successor.
However, Solskjaer’s unbeaten start to his opening ten games – winning nine – and taking the club to within two points of the top four has left the Norwegian in pole position to secure the job on a full-time basis.
Solskjaer has been credited with helping United rediscover their attacking traditions, and has overseen Anthony Martial take a U-turn on his future, signing a deal until 2024, while Marcus Rashford is also in talks for a new contract.
Asked if the club felt more like his own, Solskjaer said: “Everyday I feel that I do help the club and put a little bit of my stamp on it.
“But decisions, sometimes of players’ futures are not down to me, either. It’s the players, do they want to stay, do they want to move on, do they want something else?
“We have a vision and a picture of how we want to look in a few years, we have to think long term but also short term. I have a picture of how I think this Man. Utd. team will look in a couple years.
Phil Jones’s new deal sends good signals to everyone at United, says Solskjaer “I don’t know if it is with me, but I always put my views across to Ed Woodward and the ones in the club.”
Asked if his view had changed since he arrived, he added: “Not really. I’ve supported United for many years since I went home. And I had a clear view on what my opinion would be.
“You get a different view of some of the players: ‘he’s impressed me, he’s got some way to go’.
“We are not too far away from what I thought when I came.”
