Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that Manchester United did not make a key mistake over one decision during his time in the Old Trafford dugout.
The 53-year-old Manchester United legend’s tenure at the Premier League club came to an end during the 2021-22 campaign after he was sacked from his role.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had initially returned to Old Trafford as caretaker manager in 2018 after United had sacked former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho.
The Man Utd treble winner’s exploits during his Red Devils caretaker reign led to Solskjaer becoming the permanent United manager at the Premier League club.
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Manchester United's coach Michael Carrick chats with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the dugout during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on August 29, 2021 in Wolverhampton, England.
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Man Utd signing Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Man City in 2021
Ahead of his sacking in 2021, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had received a major boost after Manchester United had signed Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho.
Jadon Sancho had been a longstanding target for Man Utd and the Red Devils landed the former Borussia Dortmund winger in a stunning £73m acquisition.
Raphael Varane arrived at Old Trafford after the Red Devils agreed a deal with Real Madrid worth £42m — an initial £34m fee was paid up front — for the Frenchman.
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Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford for a second spell after the Red Devils signed the Real Madrid legend for a £12.8m transfer fee from Serie A side Juventus.
Solskjaer insisted that United did not want Manchester City to land former Juventus star Ronaldo and it made sense to sign him after Varane and Sancho in 2021.
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“We never wanted him to go to City,” he told The Athletic.
“We’d won four games and a draw and were top of the league in September 2021. Cristiano came in, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho joined. Then we made that next step by signing Cristiano.”
Manchester City had been linked with Harry Kane at that time and United’s crosstown rivals were tipped to be in the race to sign Ronaldo from Juventus.
Solskjaer, who played alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford, added that United made the right call to ensure that the Portugal icon was brought back to the Red Devils.
“It felt right,” he continued.
“It didn’t turn out right, but it was the sensible thing to do at the time. He was available and still top level.”
Ronaldo’s second spell at Man Utd was brief and came to an end in 2022 after the 41-year-old Portuguese forward fell out with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
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