Man Utd hoping to add £60m to transfer budget by selling four players in summer

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly prepared to offload four players this summer as he seeks to boost the coffers available at the club for transfers.

Solskjaer was only able to raise around £15m from sales last summer thanks to Chris Smalling's move to Roma, although Alexis Sanchez's switch to Inter Milan did at least ease the pressure on their wage bill.

But with finances tight at Old Trafford as football continues to count the cost of the coronavirus crisis, Solskjaer has been told by the club's board that he must be able to raise a significant amount of the summer's transfer budget through sales.

Metro Sport report that the club's board are willing to provide £80m for transfers at the end of the season, but the club would like to raise around £60m from player sales.

Solskjaer - whose position at the club has strengthened after he agreed a new contract - reportedly has four players in mind to offload as he looks to bring in the club's major targets, which would feature a centre-back, defensive midfielder, right-sided midfielder and a striker.

Jesse Lingard and Diogo Dalot are currently impressing during their loan spells away from the club at West Ham and AC Milan respectively, and United would hope to raise around £20m each from their permanent sales. Lingard in particular is said to be keen to join the Hammers having found a new lease of life in east London.

Phil Jones is another player who seems set to depart the club having failed to feature in a single match this season. United would be confident of interest in Jones from the lower half of the Premier League table at a price of around £10m.

Juan Mata also seems destined to leave, and with United able to trigger a 12-month contract extension on his deal before it runs out this summer, the club would look for £10m from his suitors, plenty of whom are in Serie A.

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero will also leave on a free transfer when his contract expires.