Solskjaer might be Man Utd's perfect 'director of football'

There's no strict definition of job responsibilities for a director of football, but for most clubs an ideal candidate would be setting out a strategy, taking a long-term view over recruitment and building a squad and making sure money is not wasted by a manager in the transfer market.

When Manchester United first toyed with the idea of appointing a director of football, or a technical director, the idea came on the back of a tumultuous summer under Jose Mourinho when it was clear that manager and club bosses were singing from very different hymn sheets when it came to transfer targets and what approach to take.

It was August 2018 when the prospect of a new addition to the structure at Old Trafford was first publicly mooted, yet despite numerous names being linked with the job, no appointment has been made 20 months later.

Names such as Edwin van der Sar, Paul Mitchell, Antero Henrique and Ralf Rangnick have been linked with the position, while United alumni like Darren Fletcher, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand have been mentioned.

But for now, the speculation has gone quiet, as have the demands for an appointment to be made. The most important aspect of any football figurehead such as a technical director is setting a long-term transfer strategy, yet United already have someone doing this at the club.

It might just turn out that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the ideal director of football, as well as United manager. He's certainly spent the club's money better than any recent boss. Even Sir Alex Ferguson signed his fair share of flops, but Solskjaer is yet to make any transfer market mistakes.

His hit-rate from five signings is remarkable. Crucially he knows what he's looking for and what kind of players he wants to build a team around. Solskjaer is targeting youth, mostly, and players who fit into a defined way of playing, which is why Romelu Lukaku was allowed to leave for Inter Milan last summer.

The permanent signings in the summer transfer window of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire and Daniel James can all be categorised as successes, with the promise of more to come.

January might well prove to be the turning point in Solskjaer's reign, not through results on the pitch but the progress made off it. The £47million signing of Bruno Fernandes has been transformative. While plenty of Europe's highest clubs decided against a deal for the Sporting Lisbon midfielder, whose numbers in Portugal were remarkable, Solskjaer proceeded with a move that looks like a bargain given the 26-year-old's impact at Old Trafford.

There was also plenty of sniggering at a deadline day loan move for Odion Ighalo, a 30-year-old coming in from the Chinese Super League to fill a short-term need. Yet Ighalo's return of four goals so far has been vital and crucially he looks to fit into the side. Now the idea of making the move permanent for £15m is beginning to look like a no-brainer.

Solskjaer has always spoken with conviction and common sense about his long-term plans for United. He's willingly sacrificed the short-term to build for success, which is exactly the kind of approach you would expect a director of football to take.

He's also focused on youth, on lowering the average age of this squad and building for the future. In everything he says and does Solskjaer sounds like a director of football.

That's not to say he couldn't do with some help in this department. Managing a club of United's size and stature and setting a long-term course isn't easy to combine. If Solskjaer can find someone on the same wavelength then it might still make sense to add a technical director to the structure.

The biggest criticism of last summer's business was that United simply didn't do enough. The three signings were all a success, but they needed more, as has been proven at times this season when injuries have struck and left Solskjaer short of numbers.

But the Norwegian looks to have United on the right track and his strike rate in the transfer market has been remarkable. He's made the need for a director of football far less pressing.