Ole Gunnar Solskjaer focused on Manchester United transfer plans amid potential Man City spending spreee

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has no concerns about a renewed spending spree from Man City – and believes his own transfer dealings have been key to helping Manchester United close the gap at the top of the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola wants City’s Abu Dhabi owners to fund a rebuild after relinquishing the title to Liverpool this season. And after revealing his frustration at losing out to United in the race for Alexis Sanchez and Harry Maguire in recent years, he sounds intent on making a statement when the transfer window opens.

But Solskjaer insists he welcomes the competition ahead of a window when he wants Ed Woodward and Glazers to fund the completion of his own overhaul.

“My concern is what we can do and if other teams can compete with us, fine, if they can’t, fine,” he said. “We just have to run this club as well as we can.

“Of course the other clubs, we’re too far behind. We’ve got a smaller amount to climb than last year - but there’s still a mountain to climb, to climb the table.”

Solskjaer insists he wants to keep out of the debate about City’s overturned Champions League ban – after they were cleared of serious breaches of Financial Fair Play by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Guardiola claims City are owed an apology after being the victims of a “whispering” campaign by rivals.

But Solskjaer said: “I’ve not said anything about Man City. He’s probably not me he’s talking about anyway.

“I’ll leave that to other people to discuss and criticise. That’s none of my concern.

“I think other people can debate that and want to debate that. I don’t think that’s my job. My job is to focus on the next game and do the right things.

“With FFP, it was brought in to keep football clubs financially sustainable and that’s important. And they give us rules. That’s what we’re focusing on and let other people discuss the rights and wrongs.”

Meanwhile, Solskjaer has praised Paul Pogba’s growing influence at United after recovering from ankle surgery.

“I’ve been speaking more or less every day with Paul,” he said. “He knows that he wouldn’t be dropped.

“When Paul plays like this he wouldn’t be dropped from any team in the world - France or Man United - but he’s been out for a long, long time. There was a question mark before the game (against Southampton).

“But he felt ready for it, which was great, so now let’s see how he is today or even tomorrow morning.

“He’s been fantastic since the restart and brought a lot to the team.”

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