Ornstein: Solskjaer keen to sign £20m star who wants to make ‘dream’ Man Utd move

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to sign Joshua King in a deal that could cost up to £20m and the Bournemouth hitman is desperate to secure his ‘dream’ move, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

Solskjaer has endured a frustrating transfer window so far as United have struggled to agree deals for several key targets meaning Donny van de Beek has been the only significant arrival following his move from Ajax.

The Norwegian coach is reportedly looking to bring-in up to three more new recruits before the window closes in early October and a striker to support Anthony Martial is seemingly on the agenda.

Manchester United have never properly replaced Romelu Lukaku since he left to join Inter Milan last summer. Odion Ighalo was signed as a stop-gap on loan from Shanghai Shenhua but he’ll return to China in the New Year.

Ighalo’s departure will leave a hole needing to be filled in Man Utd’s attack and Ornstein claims on his Tifo Podcast that Solskjaer is still keen on signing King after missing out on the Norwegian international back in January.

United tried to sign the 28-year-old striker on a short-term deal last winter but Bournemouth only wanted to sell King on permanent deal so Solskjaer had to settle for signing Ighalo on loan instead.

However, Ornstein suggests that Solskjaer hasn’t given up hope of landing King and The Athletic journalist says the player would jump at the chance of securing a ‘dream’ move to Old Trafford if a deal could be agreed.

Bournemouth are under pressure to sell some of their key assets following their relegation to the Championship and Ornstein claims King would cost United somewhere in the region of £15m to £20m but it remains to be seen whether the clubs hierarchy will sanction an offer.

King joined Manchester United’s youth academy when he was a teenager but failed to make a breakthrough into the first team having spent much of his time out on loan before making a permanent switch to Blackburn in 2013.

The Norwegian hitman has made his name since moving to Bournemouth in 2015 as he’s scored 50 goals for the South Coast club but it looks like he could be on the move again this summer after the Cherries were relegated from the top flight.

Solskjaer is clearly a fan of his compatriot and King could be a solid back-up striker to replace Ighalo but some Man Utd fans may feel the club needs to be a bit more ambitious if they’re to close the gap on the likes of City and Liverpool.