Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sees a bright future for Manchester United following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with the club’s new co-owner injecting renewed hope into fans.
Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 25% stake in December, as well as assuming control of football operations, marks a seismic change of direction.
As chief executive of chemicals group INEOS, the British billionaire has bold aspirations for United, both on and off the pitch.
Their presence has reinvigorated optimism among fans, who endured years of uncertainty under the Glazers’ leadership. However, despite Ratcliffe’s ambitions, the club’s current position – languishing in sixth place in the Premier League and kicked out of the Champions League – underlines the challenges ahead.
United manager Erik ten Hag admitted he has a “fantastic feeling” about their future plans.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he is optimistic and ‘excited’ about future with Ratcliffe
Man United saw a 3-0 victory over West Ham thanks to young stars Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo taking center stage amid the clubs’ revitalized future plans.
Plans include a renovation or new stadium to modernize Old Trafford with more modern grounds such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Hojlund has finally started to find his footing in red, having scored in his last four games.
Solskjaer echoes this sentiment and foresees promising prospects for his beloved former club.
“These are very exciting times with Jim Ratcliffe,” Solskjaer said at a media event in Bengaluru, India, on Friday. “I think he has instilled confidence in both the fans and the followers. But we need more consistency.
“You can see that even the best teams are not as consistent as before. If we go back two years, Liverpool had 99-100 points, that’s consistency.
“If we want to get back to the top we need at least 90 points and more consistency.”
Speaking about the state of Old Trafford, Solskjaer emphasized the importance and need for change: ‘We have to adapt to the current times. Something has to happen at Old Trafford,’ he added.
‘It is a renovation or a new stadium because we will be left behind if we stay in the same place. We need new stadiums like, for example, the Tottenham stadium, it is an incredible place.
“That was also the last victory I had as Manchester United manager. It’s such a beautiful place. But yes, history is important.”
Man United travel to Villa Park on Sunday to take on Unai Emery’s high-flying Aston Villa. An away victory could put Ten Hag’s men within three points of Tottenham, as well as recording four wins in the four competitions.