Solskjaer Dismisses Manchester United Links With Nathan Ake

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has played down speculation linking the club with Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake.

Rumours intensified after United’s 5-2 Premier League victory over Bournemouth when a video of Solskjaer speaking briefly with Ake after the match circulated on social media.

Subtitles added to the clip suggested Solskjaer had told the Netherlands international that United were looking for a left-footed centre-back, prompting speculation that Ake could become a transfer target.

However, Solskjaer dismissed the claims ahead of United’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

“I’ve got seven centre-backs,” he said. “I don’t know where that’s come from. We’re fine.”

United had also been strongly linked with Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, who was expected to feature against Solskjaer’s side at Villa Park.

Grealish impressed when the teams drew 2-2 earlier in the season, scoring a superb goal at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer praised the threat posed by the midfielder but stressed that United could not afford to focus solely on one player.

“He attracts players to him, but there’s not just one player in that Villa team, there are a lot of them,” he said.

United travelled to Villa Park on a 16-match unbeaten run in all competitions and knew victory would move them within one point of fourth place following Leicester City’s draw with Arsenal.

Solskjaer nevertheless insisted his players could not rely on results elsewhere as they pursued Champions League qualification.

“There are so many games. If you win every single one, we’re in the top four,” he said.

“We cannot rely on help from anyone else. We have to do it ourselves.”