Rafael backs Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to rectify Manchester United’s poor transfer record

Former United full-back hailed both Harry Kane and Jadon Sancho amid recent links to Old Trafford

Former Manchester United full-back Rafael says Manchester United have made expensive mistakes in the transfer market, but backs Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make the right decisions to improve the team.

The Brazilian, now with Lyon in France, says big-money signings were never the right fit for United due to their character, rather than their quality.

With United linked with several names who could cost in excess of £100m this summer, Rafael says Solskjaer and his board must make the right calls on players who are not just in it for the money.

Among those potential targets are an English attacking duo who he rates highly, but the right calls must be made to return United to the top.

“Harry Kane is a great goalscorer and Jadon Sancho is very, very good,” he said to ESPN.

“But first of all you have to see the character of the player and see if they really want to do well for United, not just coming for the money.

“We have made some mistakes but I hope now that we can get back on track. In this Manchester United, I see more of how they played before and I think soon we will be back where we belong.”

Rafael says Solskjaer is the right man for the club despite some indifferent results, as he’s a rare case of a manager who will put the team’s needs before his own.

“I love Ole. I love the person he is and the manager he is. Of course, there is a lot still to do but I think he’s doing it the right way. He’s a guy who is going to think about Manchester United first rather than himself. A lot of coaches are never going to do that, they are going to think about them and after about the club.”

United are fifth in the table, three points off Chelsea in fourth, with nine games left to play in 2019/20. Rafael’s Lyon side are seventh in Ligue 1 after an inconsistent campaign.