Fernandes, Maguire, Ighalo, James & Wan-Bissaka - Rank Solskjaer's 5 signings

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's record of signing players since he took over as Manchester United manager is excellent.

In just two transfer windows, the Norwegian has bought and sold well, with the latest examples being Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo — who have both hit the ground running after arriving in January.

Solskjaer also deserves credit for offloading unwanted players and reducing the average age of the United squad. But which of his five incoming transfers in the past year have been the best? And which could, perhaps, be doing more to justify the money United paid for their services?

Here, we ranked the five signings from worst to best (though in truth, none have been particularly bad):

5. Daniel James

It's probably unfair on James — a player who was 21 when United signed him from mid-table Championship side Swansea — to rank him as the worst of Solskjaer's signings. But that in itself indicates how successful the Norwegian has been in his transfer dealings, with James still a very promising yet raw addition.

At first it seemed United had struck gold when plucking the Wales international from the Liberty Stadium for an initial £15million. James netted three goals in his first four games, but has found the Premier League a little tougher in the months since.

He finally broke his goal drought in the recent 5-0 victory over LASK, though has remained an important figure in Solskjaer's squad thanks to his blistering pace and eye for an assist.

Certainly not a bad signing.

4. Harry Maguire

Maguire would be higher on this list if United hadn't splashed a world-record fee on him. Ultimately Leicester demanded the £80million was paid to let the England international move to Old Trafford last summer as they wanted a higher figure than the one Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk.

Maguire hasn't been a failure at United. Quite the opposite, in fact, he has instilled a calmness and composure in the United back line and has shown enough leadership credentials to be trusted with the captaincy full-time.

But the inflated transfer figure means fans will expect a lot of the 26-year-old. He's been virtually ever-present and his partnership with Victor Lindelof is getting better with every game.

Again, a good signing, but Maguire has some way to go before he completely justifies the money United paid for him.

3. Odion Ighalo

Ighalo was a complete unknown quantity, to fans at least, when he signed for United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua on January deadline day.

Many were willing to write him off before he'd played a single game. The perceived weakness of the Chinese Super League, the fact Ighalo had not played in the Premier League since 2017 and his middling record with Watford were all used against him.

What United signed, in fact, was almost perfect for what they needed amid Marcus Rashford's injury absence: a seasoned No.9 who has brought goals and nous to Solskjaer's front line. Ighalo has bedded in quickly and already has four goals to his name, amid talk that the Old Trafford club could now seek a permanent deal for the Nigerian.

Not quite a masterstroke from Solskjaer but not far off. Ighalo has been a huge bonus.

2. Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Whereas the additions of James and Ighalo had an element of risk to them, you felt confident that United had signed a gem when they rubber-stamped a £45million deal for Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace. And so it has proved.

It says plenty about the 22-year-old that he instantly looked at home in the side and will surely be among the contenders for the club's player of the season awards. His tackling defies belief at times, his commitment is unwavering and his attacking game seems to be improving with every performance. He's almost the complete right-back.

There were murmurs from some about the amount of money United paid for Wan-Bissaka back in the summer. Few have even mentioned the fee since, as it has become clear it was a very good deal for a very good player.

1. Bruno Fernandes

Many onlookers were ready for Fernandes to flop at United. It would have been typical of the club's hitherto transfer mishaps to be linked with a player for months upon months, to then see him fail after a deal was completed.

It's credit to both the player and Solskjaer that Fernandes has adjusted and performed from the off. He's notched three goals and four assists in his first nine games, but aside from that has revolutionised United's attacking game.

Solskjaer's squad was crying out for a creative linchpin to link midfield and attack and Fernandes has been that catalyst. The fact United were able to negotiate Sporting down to an initial fee of just £45million adds to the feeling that this is a superb signing.

A decent price for an excellent footballer who suits Solskjaer's transfer strategy and will play a major role for United.