Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to have left eight Manchester United players feeling ‘misled’ after breaking promises about their playing time at Old Trafford this season.
However, those promises have been breached in the new season, leading to eight United players growing increasingly dissatisfied with their head coach. In the summer, Solskjaer agreed to speak with eight players, who expressed their dissatisfaction with not having enough opportunity to prove their worth.
Players Feeling ‘Misled’
Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, and Diogo Dalot were all guaranteed greater game time this season, but United’s situation hasn’t changed much from last season.
Those players believe the Norwegian has misled them, and they are especially irritated because they either chose or were forced to reject alternative offers to stay at Old Trafford.
Van van Beek, in particular, had an opportunity to join Everton turned down by Solskjaer, who had promised the Dutchman a more important role in the team, even though the former Ajax man had only played 16 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Then there’s Lingard, who was eager to clinch a permanent deal with West Ham following a successful loan spell, but the Englishman was compelled to stay at Old Trafford at Solskjaer’s request, and the midfielder is now rarely seen in the domestic calendar.
Other Problems
While United’s on-pitch issues are obvious, the club’s off-pitch issues are also producing greater instability, with suspicions that Solskjaer has lost the dressing room as a result of his failed promises.
Solskjaer’s fringe players were persuaded to stay at Old Trafford after pledges from the manager, but the Norwegian’s lack of rotation has kept them on the bench for much of the season.
Despite a dismal run of form by the Red Devils, who have lost six of their last 12 games in all competitions, they have been denied opportunities. Each could potentially look to leave ahead of the January transfer window, with Van de Beek and Lingard among the names expected to attract major attention.
Furthermore, the disgruntled stars are irritated that certain players are regulars in the starting lineup despite their performances not meriting such significance.
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