Manchester United give transfer update on targets ahead of January window – Manchester Evening News, Manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insistsManchester Unitedneed two or three players to complete their squad rebuild.

Victories over Manchester City and Tottenham last week have taken United to within five points of fourth-placed Chelsea in thePremier Leaguetable and they won theirEuropa Leaguegroup with a 4-0 stroll against AZ Alkmaar. United could also progress through to theEFL Cupsemi-finals against League Two Colchester United next week.

Despite the recent positivity, United have still only won six of their 14 league games and ended the summer transfer window without two priority targets. United are open to doing business in the January transfer window but Solskjaer indicated loan deals were more realistic.

The MEN understands the United head of global scouting Marcel Bout was in attendance to watch Erling Haaland start for Red Bull Salzburg against Liverpool in midweek and United areinterested in Leicester playmaker James Maddison,as well as a midfield signing.

“We’re looking to strengthen in many positions,” Solskjaer said. “If you look at our squad compared to others, we’re getting there but need two or three players to have a squad with enough numbers to rotate and we’ll see what we sign.”

Unitedhad originally earmarked a midfield addition in the winter windowbut their early season impotence made a new attacking recruit the priority. Nemanja Matic is pondering a move elsewhere in the New Year and that could give United the leverage to offset his possible departure with a midfield signing.

In October, Solskjaer said : “Of course, we let Alexis [Sanchez] and Romelu [Lukaku]. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that it’s [a] forward that, next time we’re going to recruit, we ‘re looking for some creativity and goals. “

The MEN reported earlier this yearUnited had planned for four signingsacross the two transfer windows next year but the emergence of Brandon Williams hasconvinced them to shelve plans to target a left-back.United had been monitoring Ben Chilwell of Leicester.