Solskjaer's summer shopping list for Man Utd including 'mega-transfer'

If last week's Europa League final defeat confirmed anything to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it's that he can no longer put off finding the solutions to Manchester United's problems.

A first trophy under his leadership would have put the cherry on top of a season where his United side have shown some clear signs of progress.

Instead, losing to underdogs Villarreal has only laid bare the improvements still needed at Old Trafford.

Last summer proved to be a difficult window for United's manager, ending in a frantic scramble on deadline day.

But United cannot go into another season with the same approach - something Solskjaer is all too aware of.

Here's a look at who is on his shopping list this summer.

'Mega-transfer'

According to a report in the Mail on Sunday, Solskjaer has already held discussions with United transfer chief John Murtough about this summer's plans.

But while United are expected to spend more this summer than last, they are still only in a position to make one mega transfer in the coming months.

Erling Haaland was the main target for United but the striker will not be leaving Borussia Dortmund until 2022.

Tying Edinson Cavani down for another year has given United the stopgap they need to keep them covered in the meantime, as they focus their efforts on sealing a deal for Haaland early next summer.

United have now made signing Jadon Sancho a priority in the upcoming window as Solskjaer looks to finally fill the right-wing slot.

A deal should be straightforward and will be significantly cheaper than the £108m price tag Dortmund put on Sancho a year ago.

How it impacts the likes of Mason Greenwood and Amad though, remains to be seen.

Target Torres

In addition to a right-winger it is imperative United land a centre-back this summer.

Signing a partner for Harry Maguire is, in many ways, more of a priority than any other position, with Victor Lindelof's limitations again being exposed in the Europa League final.

But there is a general belief inside Old Trafford that United do not necessarily have to spend big to land a top class defender.

While Liverpool and Man City shelled out for the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ruben Dias respectively, United's first choice target should come a lot cheaper.

Villarreal's Pau Torres impressed against United in the final and has been rewarded for his good form with a place in Spain's squad for Euro 2020.

He fits the bill of what United are looking for and, at 24, has plenty of time to develop alongside Maguire.

Moreover, Villarreal are open to letting him go for the right price, which is believed to be in the region of £25-30m.

Asked whether Torres could leave this summer, the club's president Fernando Roig told El Transistor recently: "If they arrive with the money and the player wants to move. But there must be an agreement between all three parties."

Midfield solution

The final piece in Solskjaer's summer jigsaw will be to add a quality central midfielder to his ranks.

United's fellow top four rivals all possess a solid player to sit in front of the back four and snuff out attacks.

The lack of that option in Solskjaer's squad has forced him to use two players as a double pivot, making United more defence-minded than he would like.

Much of that is down to their shaky defence, and the addition of both a centre-back and central midfielder should go hand in hand and allow Solskjaer to ditch his reserved formation and give the players in front of them a platform to flourish.

West Ham's Declan Rice would be the ideal target but United will not be able to afford a move for him anytime soon amid their pursuits of Sancho and Haaland.

Instead they will have to seek out other alternatives, with Brighton's Yves Bissouma seemingly the obvious pick, but there is plenty of competition for the Malian international.