Manchester United

Paul Scholes has said new Manchester United signing Bruno Fernandes can be "a hero of the fans" like fellow club legends Wayne Rooney and Eric Cantona following a successful start at Old Trafford. 

Fernandes scored a penalty for the second straight game as United hammered Club Brugge 5-0 at home on Thursday (6-1 on aggregate) to seal their place in the UEFA Europa League last 16.

Scholes, 45, appeared as a pundit on BT Sport's coverage and compared the January signing to former team-mates Rooney and Cantona, each of whom brought big on-field personalities to Old Trafford:

"He looks like he can be a hero of the fans."

"His awareness on the pitch is special."

Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves are suitably impressed with Bruno Fernandes' start to life at Old Trafford! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZtptiluPct

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 27, 2020

The United icon has often been critical of the club and its players since retiring, but Scholes was upbeat about what Fernandes can bring: "He looks a special talent, he looks like he can be a hero with the fans as well. He's got the right name for it with the song and stuff. You think of your Cantonas, your Wayne Rooneys, these people who are idolised by the fans, you hope that in future he can become a player just as good as them."

He added: "You think of all the great teams here [at Old Trafford], when you think of Cantona playing in that No. 10 role, just making the team play. Teddy Sheringham then doing it, Dwight Yorke to a certain degree. I think all these great teams, they have a great link between midfield and attack."

Owen Hargreaves—who won the Premier League and UEFA Champions League alongside Scholes in 2008—called Fernandes' spacial awareness "special" and praised his ability to predict the sequence of play.

United's second leg was made easier after Club Brugge defender Simon Deli was sent off after 22 minutes for a handball inside the box, with Fernandes stepping up to convert the resulting penalty.

He then played Juan Mata in with a terrific ball over the Belgian side's defence, opening the space for fellow winter arrival Odion Ighalo to score his first goal for the club (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1233129249483231238

Fernandes was touted as a United target long before completing his mid-season switch from Sporting CP, but the fans are now reaping the benefits of his impact in a No. 10 role.

The 25-year-old has notched two goals and two assists in his first five appearances for United, leaving Scholes to suggest Paul Pogba may not be missed should he leave this summer (h/t Goal's Chris Burton):

"With the Pogba situation, we know what a top player he is, [but] it doesn't look like he'll be here next year—we don't know that, but we think that from what we're hearing.

"I just think carry on as you were, it's looking good enough at the minute.

"With Pogba, the way he's played, would he get into this team at the minute? It would be tough for him. With the way the team's playing, how can you change that? They've looked as good as they've looked in the last three or four years to me."

Pogba has made only eight appearances this season and hasn't managed a start since September due to an ongoing ankle injury.

Scholes added: "I think the fact that the last couple of weeks nobody has mentioned Pogba coming back into the team speaks volumes about what Fernandes has brought to the team. He's probably brought what you expected from Pogba over the last couple of years, which hasn't quite materialised."

BBC Sport's Simon Stone picked out quotes from Solskjaer in late February that appeared to overlook Pogba as an option in Fernandes' area of expertise:

This was interesting from OGS on Bruno Fernandes yesterday. "He is one of the pieces we are trying to put together. He is a big piece and an important one as we get to the business end of the field. We have spent with Harry and Aaron. Now we have the No. 10 nailed down." Pogba?

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 24, 2020

It could be that the manager still hopes to bring Pogba back into his plans this season following his injury, with United fifth in the Premier League and still in contention for the FA Cup and Europa League titles.

They return to action at Everton on Sunday when Fernandes will hope to stretch the team's seven-match-unbeaten run and seal three consecutive wins for United for the first time in 2020.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed the impact of January signings Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo after they both scored in Thursday's 5-0 UEFA Europa League rout of Club Brugge.

The Red Devils advanced to the round of 16 after a convincing second-leg result at Old Trafford saw them emerge as 6-1 victors on aggregate.

Fernandes, 25, opened the scoring from the penalty spot for the second straight game before playing a vital part in the buildup to Ighalo's maiden strike in his first United start. Solskjaer told reporters after the game:

"Bruno coming in obviously makes a big, big difference. You can see he's got a hand in all the three first goals. What a pass, what a goal Odion's goal was.

"I'm very happy with the contribution of Odion as well up front, doing what he does. He's a target man, we can play up to him, he'll hold it, he's got Juan [Mata] and Bruno next to him and you've got runners then.

"I think as a fellow striker I know how important that first goal is. He's been close a couple of times, you can see he sniffs goals. He wants to be there where it sometimes hurts. That goal, he's sharp in his head. That's a natural striker."

United were quick out of the blocks and enjoyed a string of scoring chances inside the first 10 minutes. They were helped by the early dismissal of opposition defender Simon Deli for a handball inside the box, and Fernandes stepped up to convert from 12 yards.

The Portuguese has two goals and two assists in five appearances for United, and his contribution in helping to tee up Ighalo showed how his influence in the squad (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1233129249483231238

Midfielder Scott McTominay scored with an accomplished finish in his first start since Boxing Day following injury, and Fred tripled his United goal tally in one evening with a brace (UK viewers only):

Fred's goal came as a welcome surprise to Solskjaer, who said: "Fred, I wasn't sure if I was going to be alive for the next time he was going to score, he's had so many attempts! One with his right and one with his left. It's been an ongoing joke between us, of course, but he got those goals and I'm very pleased for him."

Fred had scored just one Man Utd goal before yesterday. Solskjaer wasn't expecting him to score two in one game 😂 https://t.co/Cv1GDPC8Q5

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 28, 2020

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News wrote that Fernandes' increasing authority in this United team is making the club forget about Paul Pogba, whose most recent start was on September 30.

Former United midfielder Paul Scholes joined in the chorus singing Fernandes' praises, per Goal:

Scholes on Fernandes:

"He looks like he has brought this team to life. He has made a team that did not look that watchable at times look exciting and very watchable right now." pic.twitter.com/1h4gbmHD14

— GOAL (@goal) February 28, 2020

Solskjaer continued:

"I'm very happy tonight. Obviously we're in a moment now that we rotate a bit, players are getting games, but, when you score goals and play like this, you're going to get more confidence.

"It was brilliant to see the start of the game; I thought they had the right intent, created loads of chances, and, when they go down to 10 men, of course the game was more or less over."

Ighalo—on loan from Shanghai Shenhua—made cameo appearances against Chelsea, Watford and in the last-32 first leg away to Club Brugge without finding the target. A longtime United supporter and the first Nigerian to represent the club, he called it a dream come true to finally get off the mark at Old Trafford:

"It's a dream come true. I'm going to cherish this moment for the rest of my life."@IghaloJude is absolutely buzzing, and so are we ❤️#MUFC #UEL pic.twitter.com/c4KTrnAOyE

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 27, 2020

Thursday's hosts recorded 28 total attempts on goal against their Belgian guests—10 on target—and prevented Club Brugge from testing Sergio Romero, per WhoScored.com.

Supporters will count the positives and hope the performance is a sign of things to come, with Fernandes and Ighalo each showing they are settling well at their new club.

United travel to face Everton on Sunday when they make their return to Premier League action.

Manchester United qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League after beating Club Brugge 5-0 at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

January signings Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo both scored, while Scott McTominay and a brace from Fred added to the Red Devils' 6-1 aggregate win following last week's 1-1 draw in Belgium. Fernandes opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Brugge defender Simon Deli was red-carded for deliberate handball.

Ighalo was making his first start after Anthony Martial was left out, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming the Frenchman "didn't feel right" during training, per Adam Marshall of the club's official website.

The 2017 winners will now be entered into Friday's draw and still have two chances to qualify for next season's Champions League, either through lifting this trophy again or finishing in the top four of the Premier League.

United set about Brugge early doors, with the hosts' play soon settling into a stable pattern. The pattern involved playing up to Ighalo, who used his strength to bring others into the game via quick layoffs and clever knockdowns.

Early sighters from Fernandes and Juan Mata came and went, but the decisive breakthrough came on 22 minutes when Deli went from defender to goalkeeper to try and turn away a Daniel James shot.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1233126537790152709

What's going on here!? 🤣

A great save from defender Simon Deli, who is duly shown a red card... 🤦‍♂️

United score the subsequent penalty! pic.twitter.com/ktcFbeWGqA

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 27, 2020

The obvious infraction earned Deli a red card, a decision only upheld after a lengthy, laborious VAR review. Once the punishment was finally confirmed, Fernandes stepped up and confidently scored from the spot for the second time in as many matches following Sunday's 3-0 Premier League win over Watford.

22' Penalty and red card awarded.

27' Penalty scored by Bruno Fernandes.

A five minute VAR check 🙃#UEL #MUNBRU pic.twitter.com/11L6nKGiqV

— GOAL (@goal) February 27, 2020

Any hope Brugge still had left disappeared 11 minutes before the break when a move involving Fernandes and Mata ended with Ighalo tucking away the finish to mark his first start for United in style:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1233129249483231238

Ighalo has his goal 🙌

First United start, first United goal ✅

That ball from Fernandes 🤤 pic.twitter.com/ElJVo3A6lU

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 27, 2020

The tie was salted away in the 41st minute when McTominay finished without a fuss after being played in by Fred. Three slick goals were just reward for the intensity and style United had imposed on the visitors from the off.

Knowing progress was assured, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought Tahith Chong on for James to start the second half. United had enough energy in the engine room to comfortably see out another 45 minutes.

Mata wanted more, though, and the little Spaniard, who was brilliant on the night, continued to probe for openings. He teed up a chance for Fred before winning a free-kick Fernandes sent wide.

Solskjaer replaced Fernandes with Jesse Lingard on 65 minutes. McTominay later made way for Mason Greenwood headed into the final 20 minutes.

Bruno Fernandes’ game by numbers vs. Club Brugge:

25 final third passes
5 ball recoveries
4 shots (3 on target)
3 chances created
2/3 tackles won
1 goal

A joy to watch. 😍 pic.twitter.com/qSol2ZbN1a

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 27, 2020

It was left to Fred to add a flourish to the scoreline when he shot smartly after being played in by Lingard to open his account for the season. There was still time for the Brazilian to double his tally after being teed up by Chong.

United had eased through the gears thanks to a growing quality in the forward areas. Fernandes' vision and technique, along with Ighalo's power, have added an extra dimension that can be the catalyst for more silverware in this competition.

       

What's Next?

United face Everton at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday, while Brugge face Genk away in the Belgian First Division A the same day.

Nicky Butt has said Manchester United have tried to nurture starlet Hannibal Mejbri "under the radar" in an attempt to reduce the pressure on the wonderkid. 

According to the Press Association (h/t Hassan Rashed of the Mirror), United's head of first-team development said the club have deliberately kept the 17-year-old out of the spotlight since his capture from Monaco last September:

"It's hard to get him under the radar when we've chased him for so long and he's come from a big club for a big fee, so that's impossible.

"But you want to get young people under the radar because, coming from a different country and getting the price tag on your head and coming to one of the biggest clubs in the world, there's going to be so much pressure in the first place.

"I've got a 16-year-old kid who, I would hate that pressure on their shoulders, but they have that and it'd be foolish to put them out there too soon, because you don't know what's around the corner. They're children."

Mejbri has quickly impressed at Carrington, and after the mature first-team displays from Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams, the talented midfielder could be the next youngster to be promoted to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad.

United beat a host of top clubs to Mejbri's signature last summer, with the Parisian choosing to make the switch to Old Trafford.

Butt added he's excited by United's academy and believes the club have a wealth of talent in development.

"We've got some really good players that I believe will play for Man United," Butt said. "When, I don't know. But they will play for Man United and, yeah, some of them have been brought through the ranks from seven, eight, nine or 10."

Solskjaer has now held the United reins for 14 months, and the coach has chosen an organic approach in rebuilding the club's squad.

United's traditions of including youth have been upheld by Solskjaer, with the Red Devils content to progress with one of the youngest squads in the top-flight.

Mejbri's playing style could eventually see him compliment new signing Bruno Fernandes in the years ahead. The Frenchman has the technique and intelligence to force his way into contention within the next 12 months.

Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Anthony Martial has suffered an injury in training, forcing his omission from the Red Devils' squad for Thursday's UEFA Europa League clash with Club Brugge.

The Norwegian told MUTV the France international pulled up on Wednesday (h/t the club's official website). 

"[Martial] didn't feel right during the training yesterday, or he walked off during the training, and he is injured so hopefully it won't be too bad," Solskjaer said. "But I don't really know yet how long it will be."

The injury is a blow for the Red Devils, as Martial has been a key man this season. He has 13 goals and three assists in the Premier League and Europe. Odion Ighalo was handed the start as United's striker against Brugge.

While United have frequently looked devoid of ideas going forward under Solskjaer, Martial has been a bright spark with his work on the left flank and up top. The former Monaco man is always testing defenders with his blistering speed and movement. In addition, he consistently proves himself to be the best finisher United have.

The Red Devils are short of options in the final third. After moving on Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in the summer, the club recently lost Marcus Rashford to injury.

Ighalo and Mason Greenwood could now feature as the No. 9 if Martial is forced to spend time on the sidelines.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has demanded more of Anthony Martial as a No. 9 despite the forward scoring in each of the club's past three games.

The Red Devils host Club Brugge on Thursday in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League last-32 encounter, with Martial seeking to get on the scoresheet in a fourth consecutive match.

The Frenchman is on track to set a new personal best for goals in a single season after being played up front this term, and Solskjaer told MUTV he expects more following that transition:

"If you're a wide forward, you're facing forwards more and running at people. Now he's in a different position, where it is more physical and you've got to be stronger with your back to goal and be more patient. It's your job to be in the box when the ball arrives. I'm still at him. I demand more of him. Sometimes, the ball is squared across the six-yard line and it's where he should be. I just nudge him and say: 'It should have been a goal for you.' Scoring 25 instead of 15 is a big difference for a No. 9."

The 24-year-old joined the Red Devils from Monaco in September 2015, having played mostly as a centre-forward, though the competition at Old Trafford has seen him fielded largely out wide in recent years.

The 2015 Golden Boy has 10 goals in 21 Premier League games this season and netted United's second during Sunday's 3-0 home win over Watford following some superb composure under pressure:

SO 👏 MUCH 👏 SAUCE 👏@AnthonyMartial #MUFC pic.twitter.com/tL346BbGUg

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 24, 2020

Solskjaer's need for a natural finisher is greater since forward Marcus Rashford suffered a double stress back fracture in January, putting the rest of his season in doubt.

Statman Dave attested to the two team-mates boasting a similar strike record at United, having both debuted for the club during the 2015-16 season:

Marcus Rashford scored his first senior goal for Manchester United four years ago today. He has more goals for the club (64) than any other current player:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rashford (64)
🇫🇷 Martial (63)
🇪🇸 Mata (47)

Easy to forget he’s still just 22. 🙌pic.twitter.com/k6nXPB90Dv

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 25, 2020

Homegrown star Rashford has one goal more for United than Martial despite making four fewer appearances, though the former has benefited from a more advanced role. That being said, Rashford has made only 137 starts in those 201 appearances, while Martial has made 153 starts.

The early signs indicated Martial would bring something special to the Theatre of Dreams. He scored a sensational solo goal in a 3-1 win over Liverpool when he made his debut in September 2015. He netted 17 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions during that first season at United—11 in the Premier League—though he's required only 31 games to reach 15 this campaign.

He displayed great determination to capitalise on Club Brugge's error in defence when he scored United's equaliser in the 1-1 draw in Belgium last Thursday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrRS3dAJqR8

Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez (on loan) each left the club for Inter Milan last summer, with no recognised replacement brought in at the time to account for their departures.

January signing Odion Ighalo has yet to earn a start for his loan club, while the 18-year-old Mason Greenwood's first-team involvement is still sparing, leaving United light on senior options up front.

Martial has started in four of United's past five European games and could look to continue his evolution up front under Solskjaer if he retains his place in the starting XI for Club Brugge's visit to Old Trafford.

David Beckham believes former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is "doing a good job" at Manchester United despite the fact that the Red Devils are outside the Premier League's top four.

Solskjaer, 47, succeeded Jose Mourinho in the Old Trafford dugout in December of 2018. He enjoyed great success in an interim role, overseeing a run of 14 wins in 17 matches. But United's form has deteriorated sharply since he was given the job on a permanent basis in March:

Manchester United's plight under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is real 😐

The Red Devils have lost more league games than they've won since he took permanent charge! 📉 pic.twitter.com/ZBcQOB7PYK

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 23, 2020

United's campaign has been characterised by inconsistency. They have had fine wins over Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City, and they are the only side to have taken any points off champions-elect Liverpool in the Premier League.

But defeats against bottom-half clubs such as Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Watford mean United are still outside the Premier League's top four with 11 games of the season remaining:

Movement in the top half of the table#PL pic.twitter.com/GZ9PVIKGW7

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 23, 2020

Beckham, though, told Sky Sports his fellow treble-winner deserves praise for the work he is doing:

"I think he's doing a good job. The fact that he's stepped in and stepped up, and that he continues to be positive about players, he's got that from the boss [Sir Alex Ferguson]. He would never criticise a player from his club and Ole has been exactly the same.

"He's still learning but he will protect his players and protect Manchester United. All of the fans will be behind him because he's a great person and because of what he's done for Manchester United over the years."

David Beckham has backed Ole Gunnar Solskjær to continue the 'good job' he is doing at Old Trafford

More: https://t.co/epbsqIoeWB

pic.twitter.com/NjucB2s26O

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 27, 2020

United endured an awful start to the year, winning just two of their first seven games in all competitions in 2020. Solskjaer has overseen an upturn in results recently, though, with United unbeaten in their past six while conceding just one goal.

On Sunday, they followed up their 2-0 league win at Chelsea with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Watford.

United cannot afford to slip back into inconsistency because they have three crucial matches in different competitions scheduled for the next eight days.

On Thursday, the Red Devils host Club Brugge in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League last-32 matchup, with the tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in their first meeting. Then on Sunday, United face a trip to in-form Everton in the Premier League before March 5's FA Cup fifth-round clash against Derby County.

Solskjaer's future at United likely depends on whether he can win a trophy this season or guide the Red Devils into next term's UEFA Champions League—or both.

As such, anything other than three victories in their coming fixtures could deal a big blow to the Norwegian's prospects of continuing at the helm.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Manchester United might "suffer" financially if the club don't qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Patric Ridge of Goal reported the Norwegian told a news conference he hopes the Red Devils find a route into Europe's top competition next season, with his team set to play Club Brugge on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League knockouts:

"We're a big club and we've got good finances but the longer you're out the more you suffer, so it's an ambition to get back into the Champions League.

"For footballing reasons and financially it will help the club. We've got to focus on this competition, then the league on Sunday and then FA Cup."

United welcome Brugge to Old Trafford for the second leg of their last-32 tie after a 1-1 draw in Belgium.

Solskjaer's men remain fifth in the Premier League, and winning the Europa will open the door to a Champions League qualification spot.

Chelsea are three points clear of United in fourth. Solskjaer added his team must perform to advance on Thursday, but said the club can't rely on the Europa as their only path back to the top table of European football.

"I think we need to take one game at a time. Both [qualification routes] are possible. In a cup competition, you never know. It might be a bad day.

"You can't rely on winning this. There are some good teams in it and we need to get past Brugge. We're looking forward to the game."

United's net debt rose by £73.6 million over the last year, according to the club's financial reports for the second quarter of 2019-20. The Old Trafford giants now carry a net debt of £391.3 million. Total revenues have slumped by 19.3 per cent to £168.4 million.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward addressed Tuesday's financial report, declaring United are working towards "winning trophies with a team playing entertaining, attacking football." Woodward added the recent purchase of Bruno Fernandes was an "important step" towards achieving the team's ambitions.

United have provided promising displays since Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018, but they have struggled to get results against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Defeats to Burnley, Watford, Bournemouth, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace have contributed towards United's position outside of the Champions League places.

Fernandes has immediately shown he can inspire United to better performances, and Solskjaer has the remaining 11 Premier League matches to prove his team can take the next step in their development.

Manchester United have announced their net debt has risen to £391.3 million, an increase of £73.6 million over the last year, following the release of their second-quarter reports this season. 

The Red Devils advanced to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last season but failed to qualify for the current campaign after they finished sixth in the Premier League.

United released their financial reports for the second quarter of 2019-20 on Tuesday, which showed total revenues had dropped by 19.3 percent to £168.4 million.

The Guardian's Jamie Jackson wrote that the club "view the figure as manageable and that the gross debt remains the same."

Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail highlighted a decline in almost every area of the club's finances based on these latest figures:

United Q2 revenues - Broadcast DOWN, Matchday DOWN, Total revenue DOWN, Operating Profit DOWN, Commercial revenue UP. #mufc

— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) February 25, 2020

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said the club remains committed to "our footballing vision" with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer despite the enduring difficult patches during his time at the helm.

Woodward published a statement prior to a conference call with the club's investors on Tuesday:

"I want to provide an overview of progress towards our No. 1 priority—winning trophies with a team playing entertaining, attacking football. Since our last call in November, we have progressed to the knockout stages of the Europa League; we are through to the fifth round in the FA Cup, and we remain in the mix to qualify for the Champions League.

"This season is one of rebuild, with many changes to the squad—in terms of players who have left or gone out on loan; new players who we have brought into the club; and academy graduates that we have brought through to the first team. This process will continue as we implement our plan and our footballing vision under Ole and his coaching staff."

He also picked out the January signing of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP as "an important step" in this season's rebuild despite being "linked in the media to 111 players" during the winter transfer window. United paid an initial €55 million (£46.5 million) for the Portugal international, though that figure could rise by another €25 million (£20.9 million) in add-ons, per Jackson.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire broke United's latest figures into finer detail, unsurprisingly noting their lack of UEFA Champions League football as a main contributor to the drop in revenue:

Manchester United revenue down £40m in first six months of 2019/20 due to lack of Champions League participation. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/oac5PP9apn

— Kieran Maguire (@KieranMaguire) February 25, 2020

Maguire also tweeted the club's cash balance of £101 million in December 2019 was the lowest it had been since March 2015, though the sharp fall was also partly due to the timing of the reports:

Manchester United cash has fallen from £308m in June to £101m in December due to timings of receipts from Premier League and fans. pic.twitter.com/uZmWAsxq8m

— Kieran Maguire (@KieranMaguire) February 25, 2020

United are unbeaten in six matches across all competitions under Solskjaer, having moved up to fifth in the Premier League following back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Watford.

The Norwegian tactician—famous for his decisive 93rd-minute winner in United's 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final—has faced scrutiny from some sections of the United support. 

His side drew 1-1 at Club Brugge in the opening leg of their UEFA Europa League last-32 clash, with Solskjaer hoping to see United finish the job at Old Trafford on Thursday and reach the round of 16.

Real Madrid star Toni Kroos has revealed he almost signed for Manchester United in 2014 shortly before he moved to the Spanish capital. 

Kroos joined Los Blancos from Bayern Munich soon after the 2014 FIFA World Cup for a reported fee of around £20 million. 

In an interview with The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein (h/t Goal's Chris Burton), he said he nearly ended up in Manchester:

"David Moyes had come to see me, and the contract had basically been done.

"But then Moyes was fired and Louis van Gaal came in, which complicated matters.

"Louis wanted time to build his own project. I didn't hear anything from United for a while and started having doubts.

"Then the World Cup started and Carlo Ancelotti called. And that was it."

Moyes was sacked in April 2014, before the end of his first season, after the Red Devils had missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification.

Van Gaal took charge of United after managing the Netherlands at the World Cup.

The Red Devils won the FA Cup under the Dutchman as well as the UEFA Europa League and the League Cup under his successor Jose Mourinho, but Kroos has helped win La Liga and three UEFA Champions League titles at the Santiago Bernabeu, among other honours.

The 30-year-old would have been a superb signing for United and an excellent long-term replacement for Michael Carrick, who turned 33 in the summer of 2014.

Kroos is an intelligent player with an impressive passing range and outstanding delivery:

He's got a glove in his right foot... 👌

🧤 @ToniKroos 🧤 pic.twitter.com/uhhSvS7hSN

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) January 30, 2020

He looks to get the ball forward from his position as a deep-lying playmaker:

Completed passes into the final third per 90 in the UEFA Champions League this season:

14.3 • 🇪🇸 Rodrigo Hernández
13.8 • 🇩🇪 Toni Kroos
11.8 • 🇪🇸 Thiago Alcântara
11.4 • 🇫🇷 Dayot Upamecano
10.9 • 🇫🇷 Corentin Tolisso
10.0 • 🇬🇭 Thomas Partey

Progressive passers. pic.twitter.com/3nnE5QUig4

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) February 18, 2020

Overall, he has 67 assists for Los Blancos. This season he has laid on eight, as well finding the net himself five times.

Bleacher Report's Rob Blanchette criticised United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward for the club missing out on Kroos as they continue to struggle with recruitment:

Bruno Fernandes' signing might end up being a feather in Ed Woodward's cap if he's successful at #MUFC. But it felt like many of us campaigned for his signing rather than Utd having a recruitment strategy. Could've got Bruno 6 months ago but Woodward deferred. Still need a DoF.

— Rob Blanchette (@_Rob_B) February 25, 2020

Kroos has shown himself to be a world-class operator during his time in Madrid, and Real managed to snap him up at the age of 24 for something of a bargain price.

United instead signed Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind that summer.

Although Herrera and Blind did reasonably well during their time at Old Trafford, the only one of those still at the club is Shaw, who has spent much of his time at the club lacking form or fitness, while Di Maria was sold to Paris Saint-Germain after one season at a £15 million loss.