Solskjaer believes he deserves Manchester United transfer backing with Champions League spot in sight

In Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s own words Manchester United haven’t achieved anything yet.

Champions League qualification is still not secure. One more hurdle remains against Leicester City on Sunday.

But the transformation Solskjaer has overseen cannot be underestimated. And such has been the progress in his first full season as manager that his position is expected to be safe, regardless of the outcome at the King Power Stadium.

That is ultimately up to the Glazers – and United’s American owners certainly caught Ed Woodward out when pulling the plug on David Moyes so soon – so anything is possible.

But the Glazers were enchanted by Solskjaer’s impact on the club during his caretaker spell – not least that unforgettable night in Paris – and all indications are that they plan to stick with him for the long haul.

Going into the final day of the season with their Champions League fate in their own hands, Solskjaer is close to achieving the minimum expectation of a transition campaign. Yet if United secure third, it must be considered above and beyond the hopes of even the most optimistic fan.

Added to the brand of football he’s produced – particularly since lockdown – and the individual development of so many players, the true evaluation of Solskjaer’s season cannot be measured only by league placings.

Of course it has to be a considerable factor – especially considering the financial implications of a second successive year without Champions League football, added to the devastating impact of coronavirus. It is arguably more important than ever that United return to the top table of European football next season.

For Solskjaer it could be the difference between having the funds to bid for his top target Jadon Sancho.

For the club, it would go some way to softening the impact of tens of millions of pounds lost in matchday revenue due to behind closed doors games.

But that can also be offset by the money saved or generated by Solskjaer’s approach to building his squad.

It is impossible to argue that the values of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial haven’t increased significantly after the improvement seen under the Norwegian.

Likewise Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay.

Mason Greenwood looks a potential global superstar.

Fred – dismissed as a £50million flop – suddenly looks like an asset.

Solskjaer has been a key voice in the transformation of United’s transfer policy.

Big fees were paid for Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Bruno Fernandes – but all have proved successes, compared to a catalogue of transfer blunders made since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

The United manager has made it clear to his hierarchy that he believes he should be trusted to go again in the market when the window opens. That he will spend their money wisely – even if it means making Sancho the most expensive player post-Covid-19.

He believes he’s earned that right.

To Woodward and the Glazers’ credit, their support has been unwavering during a season that endured alarming lows.

The message coming out of the club was that Solskjaer was safe – even at his lowest ebb following the 2-0 home defeat to Burnley in January.

It was the most torrid spell of his reign – coming after chastening defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool.

Sources say influential voices within the club had already identified Mauricio Pochettino as the man to take his place. But Woodward – whose own home was targeted by protestors – retained faith in his fourth managerial appointment.

He delivered him the signing of Bruno Fernandes and United have not looked back.

While there have been stumbles in recent weeks – back-to-back home draws and FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea – by moving up to third with one game to go, United have defied the odds.

A goalless draw with Wolves at the start of February left them 14 points adrift of Leicester in seventh place. They were six points off the top four.

Now they are in third, a point clear of Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Should they secure top four, it will only be the third time they’ve managed it since winning the title in Ferguson’s final season.

A team that would finish in the top two on muscle memory alone for the best part of 20 years has become too accustomed to scrapping around in depths that were once unthinkable.

No wonder Solskjaer describes them as “going places”.

He said: “We’ve not ended up anywhere yet. It’s one more game to show that we’ve become a better team and if we get a result against Leicester, everyone would say this journey has been a good one - but then again this is not the end of the journey.

“If you get there it’s not like we can breathe and relax, it’s go again, go to the next one, and we know that there are two teams too far ahead of us so we have to step it up even more.

“We’ve come a long way mentally, we have shown more robustness, resilience, when we lost the first goal in games, we’ve also shown the heights when everything’s flowing, which you can’t expect every time. I’m delighted with how the development looks.

“Let’s get this game out of the way and get the third position and continue the growth and journey that this team is on. Of course we’ve had some hard times this season, some setbacks, but we’ve shown that this is a team going places and if we can finish the season with a trophy in Europe and third we can discuss that then.”

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