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Man Utd: 3 Players Solskjaer Wanted
Manchester United supporters were elated when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a club legend no thanks to his treble-winning strike against Bayern Munich in May 1999, was appointed manager. Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson left his post in 2013, the merry-go-round of touchline tacticians at Old Trafford continues to spin as they look for the perfect replacement for the Scot more than a decade on.
By virtue of the size and stature of the Premier League side, whoever is manning the dugout faces an ongoing power struggle with those upstairs in transfer success – and that was definitely the case for super sub-turned-manger Solskjaer. The 52-year-old took charge of 149 matches as the permanent United manager between March 2019 and November 2021, and he endured mixed success.
Manchester United’s Potential 11 if They Listened to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
It’s safe to say the current Manchester United squad would look almost entirely different had the hierarchy placed more faith in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It was recently revealed in a report by the Daily Mail that the Norwegian, one of the highest foreign Premier League goalscorers of all time, wanted three players while in the Old Trafford dugout but the club higher-ups sanctioned three different players instead – but who are the septet of footballers? And, more importantly, what are they doing now four years following Solskjaer’s departure?
Three Players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Wanted
Erling Haaland
It’s no secret that Solskjaer advised the powers that be at Old Trafford to sign his compatriot Erling Haaland, who has netted goals at an alarming rate since becoming a household name. The sharp goal-getter’s signature was available for a paltry £17 million at the time and, looking back, you can say that this was a poor decision made by the club, and one the former boss would still regret.
Haaland, born and raised in Leeds, joined the other side of the football-crazed city in the summer of 2022 and goals have been delivered right, left and centre. He shattered the single-season goalscoring record in his first Premier League campaign (36) and he even fires on all cylinders even when City are not at the races. A generational talent, United will no doubt be kicking themselves.
Declan Rice
United have had engine room issues ever since Michael Carrick called time on his illustrious career and hung up his pass-spraying boots in 2018 – and Declan Rice, who was on the books of West Ham United at the time, would’ve been the perfect replacement. A box-to-box presence, the Englishman has established himself as one of the best players in world football on Arsenal’s books.
A regular for England, too, Rice moved to north London in the summer of 2023 and is far and away one of Mikel Arteta’s most important players. Able to sniff out danger but also launch attacks of his own with his fine-tuned passing, there are very few skills not in the locker of the 26-year-old, who is set to be central to Arsenal’s and England’s success in the years to come.
Jude Bellingham
A superstar of the highest order, Jude Bellingham‘s stratospheric rise – from a Birmingham City academy graduate to one of the first names on the teamsheet at Real Madrid – has been a joy to watch. He was also on the radar of Solskjaer during his tenure at United, as the former boss said: “We wanted Jude Bellingham badly – he’s a Man United player, but I respect he chose Dortmund.
“That was probably sensible. But it’s why I respect Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Dan James and Jadon [Sancho]. Young players prepared to come into a team that wasn’t 100 per cent there like it was when I arrived,” he said. With no limit of what he’s able to achieve, Los Blancos’ No.5 – a number also worn by Zinedine Zidane in the Spanish capital – would’ve been a talent wasted in Manchester.
Three Players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Got Instead
Jadon Sancho
United’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho was spread out over a few years while he was embarrassing full-backs in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund, and they eventually coughed up £73 million for the 23-cap, three-goal England international in the summer of 2023. Things never panned out for the London-born winger in Manchester, though, and he plundered just 18 goal contributions in 83 appearances.
Still on the books of the Old Trafford outfit, Sancho is currently on loan at Aston Villa after a tricky spell at Chelsea and his United career is all-but over unless something drastic occurs. Talented, no doubt, why the 25-year-old never managed to hit previous heights under an array of managers in England is unknown – but he’ll be looking to get his career back on track sooner rather than later.
Donny van de Beek
Instrumental in Ajax’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19 under Erik ten Hag, the Old Trafford faithful had every hope that Donny van de Beek would become a world-beater in England – but that was a far cry from the reality. Unable to match the intensity of the Premier League, the Dutchman played just 62 times for the club between 2020 and when he left permanently in 2024.
What’s Happened to Donny van de Beek Since he Left Manchester United
After leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2024, what has Donny van de Beek been up to?
The central midfielder’s spell at Old Trafford was punctured with two loan spells – with Everton in the latter half of the 2020/21 season and Eintracht Frankfurt for the final six months of 2023/24 – but things seldom went to plan with him struggling for minutes. Now, Van de Beek is earning his corn for La Liga outfit Girona as he looks to revive his de-railed playing days.
Cristiano Ronaldo
In the eyes of some, Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Old Trafford legacy was left with a chip in it once he upped and left for free in late November after his public fall-out with Ten Hag, but the vision of a young and tricky winger strutting his stuff under Sir Alex Ferguson will forever remain in the memory of many. His second stint, however, is more forgetful given he was no longer at the peak of his powers.
A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo – widely regarded, for good reason, as one of the greatest footballers of all time – still managed to score an abundance of goals (24 in his first year, to be precise) while leading the line for the 13-time champions of the Premier League. If you don’t remember: it was his interview with Piers Morgan that left a sour taste in the mouth of many United supporters.
The Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup has come to a close, leaving just 16 teams in the hunt to earn a first – or another – star on their badge.
The expansion of the tournament from 32 nations to 48 saw a more hectic group stage and this additional knockout round, which lived up to expectations. The inaugural Round of 32 saw some fascinating ties, as Argentina were taken to extra-time by Cape Verde, the Netherlands were knocked out by Morocco and Germany were upset by Paraguay.
Canada, Egypt and Norway won their first World Cup knockout matches, while ten of the 16 ties were decided on penalties or by winning goals from the 85th minute onwards. If the next stage of the competition comes close to resembling this level of drama, fans are in for an enthralling ride.
So, with the teams confirmed, some interesting fixtures set up, and with how unpredictable this World Cup has been already, it makes predicting what will occur in the upcoming knockout rounds extremely difficult. With that in mind, we’ve drafted in the assistance of Grok AI to provide its verdict, result-by-result.
Last 16
As far as the Round of 16 goes, Argentina and France are the only sides predicted to win comfortably, with routine victories against Egypt and Paraguay, respectively, forecasted. Two of the co-hosts are expected to progress into the final eight, with the USA predicted to beat Belgium 2-1 in Seattle, while England’s pursuit of a second star is expected to come to an end on penalties at the hands of Mexico.
Meanwhile, Grok believes fellow co-hosts Canada’s dream tournament will conclude in this round, with Morocco tipped to overcome them with a 2-1 win in Houston. Elsewhere, Spain are expected to end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup endeavours, Switzerland are poised to beat Colombia on penalties, while Brazil are anticipated to narrowly avoid an upset against Norway.
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World Cup Round of 16 AI Prediction |
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Fixture |
Result |
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Paraguay vs France |
France win 3-0 |
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Canada vs Morocco |
Morocco win 2-1 |
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Portugal vs Spain |
Spain win 2-1 |
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USA vs Belgium |
USA win 2-1 |
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Brazil vs Norway |
Brazil win 2-1 |
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Mexico vs England |
Mexico win 1-1 (on pens) |
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Argentina vs Egypt |
Argentina win 2-0 |
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Switzerland vs Colombia |
Switzerland win 1-1 (on pens) |
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Quarter-Finals
France are tipped to continue their strong run by progressing into the final four with a clinical victory over Morocco in Boston. Spain, meanwhile, are predicted to be the team to end USA’s dreams, overcoming Mauricio Pochettino’s side’s home advantage as a result of their midfield dominance and their experience at major tournaments.
Brazil are also expected to spoil a host nation’s party, with Grok insisting that Carlo Ancelotti’s team will overcome Mexico in a passionate clash in Miami. Argentina round things off with the most dominant display of the quarter-finals, as Lionel Messi is tipped to once again lead his nation to a World Cup semi-final with a mesmeric display against Switzerland.
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World Cup Quarter-Final AI Prediction |
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Fixture |
Result |
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France vs Morcco |
France win 2-1 |
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Spain vs USA |
Spain win 2-1 |
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Brazil vs Mexico |
Brazil win 2-1 |
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Argentina vs Switzerland |
Argentina win 2-0 |
Semi-Finals
France are predicted to narrowly edge past Spain in a box office all-European clash. Les Blues’ attacking depth is expected to just about prove to be too much for Spain’s possession game, with this high-tempo affair tipped to go the distance in extra-time.
Meanwhile, Brazil and Argentina meet in one of football’s greatest rivalries in Atlanta, and the game is expected to deliver drama. The Argentines are predicted to edge a fiery contest, which will ultimately be decided by their experience and star power in forward areas with Messi.
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World Cup Semi-Final AI Prediction |
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Fixture |
Result |
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France vs Spain |
France win 2-1 |
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Brazil vs Argentina |
Argentina win 2-1 |
Third Place Playoff
Brazil are tipped to claim Bronze with an emphatic victory over Spain. In typical third-place play-off fashion, an open game is predicted to ensue in Miami.
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World Cup Third-Place Playoff AI Prediction |
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Fixture |
Result |
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Brazil vs France |
Brazil win 3-1 |
Final
The final delivers an intense repeat of the 2022 showdown in Qatar, where Lionel Messi ended his wait for a World Cup triumph by playing a key part in Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France.
While that game provided end-to-end action and non-stop entertainment, a more cagey affair is expected this time around. France’s squad rotation and defensive solidity is expected to prevail, although the game is tipped to go to penalties after goals from Messi and Kylian Mbappe cancel each other out.
Didier Deschamps’ team are anticipated to edge the shootout, meaning France claim their third star.
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World Cup Final AI Prediction |
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Fixture |
Result |
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France vs Argentina |
France win 1-1 (on pens) |
Manchester United have held talks over a potential move to sign a new winger during the summer transfer window.
A large part of United’s focus in the market has been on bringing in additional bodies in the middle of the park.
They’ve struggled with multiple moves, seeing Mateus Fernandes and Elliot Anderson move to Tottenham and Manchester City, respectively.
Their priority continues to be bringing in additional midfielders, but they do need to strengthen in other positions.
The Red Devils will be hoping to reinforce multiple areas of the pitch in the summer transfer window, especially after qualifying for the Champions League last season.
Michael Carrick needs a deeper and more competitive squad in order to compete on all fronts. Meaning it could be a busy few weeks for the Manchester club.
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Man Utd must be considering making a move.
Man Utd Open Winger Talks
According to reports in Italy, Manchester United have held talks over a potential move to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leao in the summer transfer window.
It’s claimed that Milan are demanding at least £60m to allow the Portuguese winger to depart, while he also has interest from other Premier League clubs, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
Leao has a monster release clause, but Milan are willing to accept less than that to sanction a departure.
The Milan winger previously confirmed in the media that he wants to leave the club in the current summer transfer window. He has piqued the interest of a host of sides around Europe.
United are one of those who have made a move, but it remains to be seen whether they turn that interest into an official bid.
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World Cup History Quiz
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Leao Could be Game-Changer
It would be a huge statement from the Red Devils if they can bring Leao to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window.
The Portuguese attacker, described as ‘one of the best wingers in Europe’, is undoubtedly an inconsistent player, but he has that star quality that can change a game.
He would offer raw pace and directness that United don’t really have on the left-hand side of attack. There’s no doubt he’ll be pushing to become a guaranteed starter pretty soon.
United face plenty of competition for his signature, so it certainly won’t be easy. They need to start making some moves in the transfer market if they want to compete on all fronts next season.
Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move to sign Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer transfer window. GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs has now provided an update on the situation.
It is no secret that United are heavily pushing to bring in new midfield additions in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils were linked with moves for both Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, but they have now officially joined Manchester City and Tottenham, respectively.
It’s back to the drawing board for the Manchester club, but thankfully for them, they have a lengthy shortlist for the midfield position.
Tchouameni is one of the names potentially on their list, with Fabrizio Romano confirming he’s a dream target.
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Man Utd have made a formal offer.
Man Utd: Tchouameni Update
According to GIVEMESPORT correspondent Jacobs on the Market Madness podcast, Tchouameni could be one to watch for Manchester United in the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window.
Jacobs confirms that the French midfielder wants to wait to see how Madrid’s window pans out and hopes to speak to new manager Jose Mourinho.
“Aurelien Tchouameni could still be one to watch. From Manchester United’s perspective, they need to understand whether the player is going to ask to leave Real Madrid. We have no signs of that yet. I’m told that Tchouameni wants to wait, speak to Jose Mourinho, and see whether a six or an eight comes in at Real Madrid, and then decide whether the direction is a new contract or a new player to come in this position. Once he gets clarity on that, which could only come after the World Cup, he’ll have a better idea of whether Real are asking him to potentially go to create funding and squad spectacle.”
United will likely have to remain patient when it comes to Tchouameni, as his situation might not change until later in the window.
The Red Devils do have other targets alongside Tchouameni, and they need to get a move on as they keep missing out on players.
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England World Cup Quiz
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Man Utd Explore Alternative
Another option for United in the middle of the park could be Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.
GIVEMESPORT correspondent Jacobs has also confirmed that Scott is a target for United as they assess alternatives to Fernandes after they were not prepared to meet his £85m asking price.
The Red Devils have agreed a deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson in the summer transfer window, but they are likely to bring in at least two midfielders.
Casemiro has already headed through the exit door following the expiration of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte could be on the sidelines for a lengthy period after picking up an injury at the World Cup.
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