Dwight Yorke is baffled why Man Utd didn’t spend ‘over the odds’ by dropping £150m on ‘phenomenal’ signing

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke has criticised the Red Devils’ decision to not sign one “phenomenal” player and could have “tried more” to sign him.

The Red Devils have strengthened in the most recent transfer window, which was the first summer window under Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.

United boss Erik ten Hag saw the arrivals of Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and French defender Leny Yoro from Lille at Old Trafford in July.

The 54-year-old Dutchman was reunited with two more of his former Ajax players in August with the signings of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in August.

United agreed a deal worth nearly £60m to bring ex-Ajax stars Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to Old Trafford from German side Bayern Munich.

Manuel Ugarte was heavily linked with United and the 23-year-old Uruguay international arrived at Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.

READ MORE: Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher asked for his verdict on red card in Southampton vs Man Utd, he reveals his ‘live’ reaction

Yorke critical of one transfer decision

Despite Erik ten Hag landing several targets during his time at Old Trafford, Dwight Yorke was not happy with one transfer snub before the Dutchman’s reign.

Manchester United had been linked with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland when club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the Old Trafford dugout.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had managed Erling Haaland at Norwegian side Molde and had urged United to sign the 24-year-old Norway striker.

Haaland would leave Molde in 2019 and sign for Red Bull Salzburg, with United heavily linked with the Norway international.

However, Borussia Dortmund swooped in for the former Molde player and signed Haaland in 2019 after activating his £17.1m buyout clause.

Haaland made a name for himself at Borussia Dortmund and enjoyed a successful spell in Germany before Manchester City brought him to England in 2022.

Speaking on beIN Sports, Yorke said: “The guy is phenomenal, honestly.

“In those three years when Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] was hovering about and looking to get him, I would have paid £150m for him at the time.

“I would have paid over the odds and spent £150m to get him.

“If I was United and were serious about taking the club forward – especially when United could have had a little edge because of Ole – that was the moment if they had a glimmer of hope to pay £150m to get the kid.

“I don’t think United did enough to do that. In my opinion, they could have tried more. But it’s a bit late now!”

READ MORE: What Erik ten Hag did with two Man Utd stars during Southampton win proves he is more than one-trick pony

Solskjaer on Man Utd and Haaland

Erling Haaland has enjoyed incredible success at United’s rivals after Manchester City signed him in a £51.2m transfer from Borussia Dortmund.

The former Dortmund striker scored a whopping 52 times in 53 appearances across all competitions in his debut season with City en route to a continental treble.

Haaland has remained a key player under Pep Guardiola and the City star has already scored nine times in four Premier League appearances this season.

Speaking on The Overlap, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed that he had personally spoken to United about signing Haaland from Molde in 2018.

“I had him [Erling Haaland] in Molde for two seasons,” he said on the Stick to Football show in March.

“The summer before I got here [Manchester United], I rang the club and said, ‘You’ve got to sign this boy – he’ll be top class.’

“That was June-July 2018, and they said no – they had enough reports on players. Then I became the caretaker manager [of United], and we’d sold Haaland to RB Salzburg.

“I tell the club straight away to buy him while he has a release clause. We knew that then, and no-one else would’ve paid the money – €20 million, it would’ve been a bargain. Even though with his links with Alfie [Haaland], and Manchester City and Leeds.

“It was the club’s decision to not go for it then. We never made bids or went in for him, until after he started scoring for Salzburg. By then, Borussia Dortmund were there, Juventus were there, everyone was there. His release clause then was still good – €60 million.

“He’s got more than just being a great lad. He’s such a team player, and one-on-one with a ‘keeper, he doesn’t think about his own stats. He passes if someone else is through and it’ll be a 100 per cent goal. He’s a gem.”