Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not expect the club to sign more players before the transfer window closes on Friday, despite being linked with a late swoop for Bournemouth striker Joshua King.
United have been looking for a short-term replacement for the injured Marcus Rashford, and King played under Solskjaer in United’s reserve team, but failed to make a breakthrough to the senior squad.
“I don’t think we’ll do any more business. I expect nothing to happen, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I am happy with the ones I have here,” Solskjaer told a news conference.
“There’s so much speculation in the transfer windows and now it’s probably going to be the summer window that we start on, but I’m very happy with the club and how we’ve conducted things and how we stick to our beliefs and values as well.”
Speaking earlier on Friday, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe said he was reluctant to let King leave as the club prepare for a relegation battle in the second half of the Premier League season.
When asked about a potential late bid for the striker, Howe said: “It’s a difficult question for me to answer because a lot of these things are out of my control. It’s not my call. It’s for the chief executive and the owner.”
Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes completed his long-awaited switch to United on Thursday, and Solskjaer said the player was fit enough to be available for Saturday’s league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“I don’t know how much he’ll be involved, but he’ll be in the squad,” the Norwegian coach added.
Fernandes will wear the number 18 shirt - recently vacated by club captain Ashley Young who left for Inter Milan - and most famously worn by United great Paul Scholes.
“He’s a similar type of player (to Scholes) in skills. He could do absolutely everything as well, Scholesy, so no pressure!” Solskjaer joked.
“We’ve followed Bruno not just for months, but for years now. He’s just developed more and more, matured, and he’s going to be a fantastic Manchester United player.”
