Gary Neville slams ‘negligent’ Manchester United board for failing to back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in transfer market

Gary Neville is furious with Manchester United’s board (Credits: PA)

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has blasted the club’s board for failing to back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the transfer market.

Donny van de Beek, 23, remains United’s only signing so far this summer with just over two weeks left in the transfer window.

Solskjaer guided United to third last term, returning the club to the Champions League and preventing financial hits for finishing outside the top four for a second consecutive season.

The Norwegian wanted to make at least three signings but United have been frustrated in their pursuit of Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and look set to miss out on the England international.

United refused to include a buyback clause in a deal to sign Sergio Reguilon from Real Madrid, meaning they missed out on the full-back to Tottenham.

Last summer, United waited until the final week of the deadline before agreeing to pay Leicester City’s £80m asking price for Harry Maguire, while Bruno Fernandes arrived in January after United refused to pay £75m for him six months earlier.

While Van de Beek remains the only arrival so far, United’s rivals have strengthened in key areas with the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Timo Werner arriving for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.

United’s spending in the last seven years has dipped significantly in summers following Champions League qualification (Picture: Getty Images)

United’s struggles in the transfer market are well known but Neville believes after a brief uptick that the board are once again failing Solskjaer.

‘You see Liverpool getting a player for £40m, £25m, you see other clubs do it,’ Neville told Sky Sports.

‘Werner is quite cheap compared to some of the prices of players you see in the market and United always seem to have to pay top dollar and the people at the club will not like that, almost as though they are easy pickings. And there is a suggestion of that

‘The problem is, they have to find a way to get deals done and they can’t get deals done efficiently. And it is negligence not to get the squad in place, they have had six months since March when lockdown was on being able to deliberate, do zoom calls, connect with agents, move things into place.

‘There is no excuse really for not getting your transfers done before the start of the season. They need four or five players, so to only get one done… I know Liverpool have only got theirs done in the last couple of days, but there is a feeling they are in control.’

Solskjaer told his board in March that he wanted at least three signings (Picture: Getty)

Much of United’s efforts this summer have been focused on signing Jadon Sancho.

However, after failing to meet Dortmund’s £108m asking price by the Germans’ August 8th deadline, it looks like the winger is set to stay with the Bundesliga giants.

Neville believes their pursuit of Sancho shows that money is not the problem but instead that United lack the expertise to pull off transfers.

‘United have got the money – if they can spend £90m-100m on Sancho, they have got the money to do the deals,’ said Neville.

‘They have not got the quality or experience of football people within that club, it looks like a convoluted and complex structure, I’m not quite sure where the decisions lie.

‘Liverpool are definite, they are precise. Look at Chelsea, they are definite and precise, Man City are, but Man United do not seem able to get their business done. And that unfortunately has been a massive problem’

MORE: Edouard Mendy having Chelsea medical after Rennes accept £27.96m fee