Football news - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'I'd rather have a hole in the squad than an a***hole'

The Red Devils boss made it clear in no uncertain terms that egos and bad attitude will not be tolerated, saying: “I'd rather have a hole in the squad than an a***hole.”

Speaking to the United We Stand fanzine, Solskjaer said: “Personality is so important. We're a team in a team environment.

“You want players to have a bit of ego and edge but they have to be able to adapt. In March 2019, players were physically tired, mentally tired and we had injuries. The players started with negative thinking, whereas now it's positive thinking.

“There were other things I didn't like last year, some personal agendas which couldn't be sorted out until the summer.

“There will always be players who want to play more in football, but if a team is to be successful then players have to be available at different times.

“I feel in this group we don't have one bad apple.”

Solskjaer took up the reigns at Old Trafford in December 2018 following the departure of Jose Mourinho. After a brilliant start, which included a 12-game unbeaten run and unlikely win over Paris Saint-Germain, the team’s form has been inconsistent since.

They sit in fifth position in the table before the coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to proceedings, only three points off Chelsea in fourth, but are 37 point adrift of leaders Liverpool.

Last summer the Norwegian shipped out Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku along with Alexis Sanchez, both to Inter Milan. The pair have both been in good form, Lukaku in particular, and it’s not clear the ‘personal agendas’ Solskjaer refers to apply to either player.

In total, 19 players left Old Trafford last summer, including long-term servants such as Chris Smalling and Antonio Valencia.

The £60m arrival of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes sparked some life into the team with a promising start to his Manchester United career, but rumours continue to surround supposedly wantaway star Paul Pogba, who has played just eight times this season because of injury.

Solskjaer went on to say: “When you win, everything is easy. It's when you hit difficult times that you can see who you want and who has the right mentality. We didn't see that until after Paris, when we went into a bad run.

“That's when I saw who I could build a long-term, successful squad around. You need some egos in football, but it has to be team first.

“I could see more and more at the end of the season what needed improving.”