Manchester United: Solskjaer makes 50-goal star a priority, £300 million spree is unlikely

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is clear that his Manhester United squad needs strengthening ahead of the next season. He has identified four areas that he wants to address during the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Norwegian manager wants to bring in a right sided attacker, a center-back, a midfielder and a prolific number nine. The lack of depth within the United squad became clear during the Red Devils' Europa League final defeat at the hands of Villarreal.

According to the Daily Mail, Jadon Sancho remains top of Solskjaer's wanted list. The Red Devils boss is a big admirer of the England international and desperately wants to bring him back to the Premier League this summer.

Sancho left Manchester City in 2017 to sign with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund. He has established himself as one of the top young players in the world in the last four seasons. At 21, he has already made 167 appearances for the German club scoring 50 goals and assisting a further 65.

United were on his trail last summer but baulked at Dortmund's £108 million valuation. The club have told the player that he will be allowed to leave this summer while they are also ready to lower their asking price. Dortmund are likely to accept a fee in the region of £85 million to part with one of their prized assets.

At center-back, Solskjaer is said to want Villarreal star Pau Torres as his first choice, but Real Madrid's Raphael Varane is also on the club's radar. The United manager is keen to find a long-term partner for skipper Harry Maguire in central defence and has identified the La Liga duo as the perfect candidates.

Coming to the midfield and number nine positions, the Red Devils boss wants West Ham United's Declan Rice, who has also been a long-term target. The Hammers are adamant that their skipper is not for sale, but Solskjaer wants to bring the England international to Old Trafford and make him the fulcrum of United's midfield.

In the number nine role, Harry Kane remains the only target at the moment but the Tottenham Hotspur skipper is likely to cost around £120 million. According to the Guardian, Solskjaer is aware that he may not be able to bring in all his preferred targets as it will cost more than £300 million combined.

However, Sancho is the most likely to arrive as signing a right sided winger remains a top priority for Solskjaer this summer. Second on the list is a center-back with the club ready to make a move for the £30 million-rated Torres or Varane, who is rated at around £60 million.

United will not have it easy, despite it looking like it will be a busy and exciting summer ahead. Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are all after players of a similar profile, with Sancho also linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and Anfield in recent weeks.