Solskjaer Confirms Role in Man Utd's Transfer Plans & Delivers Lukaku Update Ahead of Cardiff Trip
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suffered his first setback as Manchester United's interim manager with the news that Romelu Lukaku will be missing for his first two matches in charge.
Lukaku has been on compassionate leave this week and Solskjaer confirmed that he had not seen the Belgian striker - or Alexis Sanchez - since he was appointed as Jose Mourinho's replacement on Wednesday.
Lukaku will miss this weekend's match against Cardiff City and is unlikely to return to training until after Christmas, meaning that he will also miss United's Boxing Day fixture against Huddersfield.
Mike Hewitt/GettyImages
"He’s had a couple of days off, I’ve not seen him yet or Alexis, he’s on his way back as well, so I’m looking forward to seeing them," Solskjaer said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, quoted by the Manchester Evening News.
Solskjaer was also asked about his transfer plans for January, with rumours that he has been given £50m to spend on new players. United's squad is clearly in need of strengthening, but the Norwegian insists that transfers are not his top priority.
"I will have an input but the job is to get to know the players, observe them," he said. "I’ve seen more or less every game from Norway but to get to know the players, what do I think I can improve them on.
"The club have got the recruitment and scouting, they’ve got their targets but I’ve not sat down and talked about that."
Solskjaer is expected to restore Paul Pogba to the starting lineup on Saturday for what will be his first Premier League start since 1 December.
Pogba was one of many players who had a clash of personalities with Mourinho, but Solskjaer promised on Thursday that every member of his squad would be given a 'clean slate' under the new regime.
