Budget forces Manchester United to delay transfer plans

Manchester United could reportedly be forced to delay their transfer plans after the club’s board failed to finalise a budget with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Solskjaer is understood to have identified four main targets he wants the club to pursue this summer and met with Ed Woodward and other members of the United hierarchy to discuss their plans.

However, Metro reports that uncertainty over their Champions League status for next season has forced them to wait before putting the wheels in motion.

United currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, two points adrift of the top four and with their fate ultimately out of their own hands.

The Red Devils could still qualify for next season’s competition by winning it this year, although a number of teams from the quarter-final pot are considered more likely to lift the trophy.

Champions League football next season would boost United’s budget by around £60m, while also allowing them to attract a higher calibre of player during the summer transfer window.

However, the board are aware that a failure to secure a top-four finish could force them to revise their plans and focus on other targets.