Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preparing for his first summer transfer window as a Premier League manager and the stakes could not be higher.
The Norwegian was appointed as the new Manchester United boss after a sparkling run of form while in caretaker control.
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Ole is at the wheel with a permanent deal at Old Trafford
But now though, the hard work begins as Solskjaer must navigate the world of transfer and multi-million pound deals.
With his predecessors trying, and failing, to attract some of the biggest names in world football, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ has promised to be frugal with his funds.
In order to do so, he may wish to scour the globe for potential superstars rather than trying to outbid rival clubs for current ones.
As a self-confessed fan of computer game Football Manager, Solskjaer may already have his eyes on the superstars of tomorrow. As his 2013 interview with Dagbladet shows, the 46-year-old was already preparing for his career in the dugout.
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The former Manchester United striker played Football Manager as a player
“When I played for Man U, I relaxed by playing Football Manager,” revealed Solskjaer.
“It’s a fantastic game, I have learned a lot about football. I have learned a lot about players, especially young talent.
“It resembles real life, when it comes to who will be good players. They have done incredible research.
“I remember thinking the same then, that I do as a manager, you want to give young guns the chance, see them develop.
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Championship Manager wonderkid Freddy Adu with Manchester United in 2006
“You could push a few buttons and get extra millions to buy a player. I never enjoyed that. I would rather win in spite of, than because of.
“Many of my players play FIFA and Football Manager. I think it helps them to understand football better.”
So who are the stars of tomorrow the United boss could well be bringing to Old Trafford this summer?
Scroll down to see talkSPORT.com’s list of the Football Manager wonderkids who could potentially be strutting their stuff for the Red Devils.
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Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
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Harvey Elliott in action for England Under-17s team
At just 15 years of age, Elliott made his senior debut for Fulham in the Carabao Cup clash against Millwall in September 2018.
The production line in west London has produced plenty of fantastic talents in recent years with Ryan Sessegnon and Matt O’Riley graduating from the Cottagers’ academy.
Although further senior appearances have been hard to come by, the right-winger has managed to scored four goals in eight Under-18 Premier League games, assisting two.
Blessed with the ability to shoot from distance and at set-pieces, Harvey Elliott may well be given more game time when Fulham’s inevitable relegation happens.
Xavi Simons (FC Barcelona)
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Plays like Messi, named after Xavi and hair like Puyol. No pressure then…
With 1.4 million followers on Instagram and a sponsorship with Nike already agreed, there is every chance fans will be familiar with the 15-year-old.
Born in Amsterdam, Simons gained attention coming through the prestigious La Masia academy as much for his distinctive appearance as his silky skills.
Blessed with excellent dribbling, confidence and an eye for goal, Simons is seen as the next big thing – as his nickname of ‘the new Messi’ would suggest.
A central midfielder with the ability to drive forward, weave past opponents and retain the ball in tight situations at his age could well demand a huge transfer fee in the not-so distant future.
Ronaldo Camara (Benfica)
@rcamara20
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Growing up in Portugal with the name ‘Ronaldo‘ must be a tough task, but the young central midfielder has the aggression and skills to ensure he makes a name for himself.
A former graduate of the Sporting Lisbon academy, Camara moved to rivals Benfica at the age of 12 and has continued to make a steady rise through the academy.
The 16-year-old was given the No.10 shirt for the UEFA Youth League squad and has made his mark against the rest of the brightest talents in Europe.
A ‘regista‘ in midfield, Camara presses high to win the ball back before using his wide and illustrious passing range to distribute the ball around to his teammates.
Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)
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Moukoko is scoring goals for fun in Germany
Born in Cameroon, Moukoko gained attention of the German media when he left St Pauli in 2016 on a free transfer to join Dortmund.
The 14-year-old has scored a whopping 34 goals in the B-Junioren Bundesliga West this season, with just 21 games of the season played so far.
The striker made his debut for the Germany Under-16 team at the age of just 12 and found the back of the net twice courtesy of two excellent finishes.
Although he is not on Football Manager 19, expect to see the pacy forward either on the 2020 edition or even the season after that as he continues his development.
Dillon Hooegwerf (Ajax)
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The striker has earned comparisons to Patrick Kluivert
If you look back over the last several decades, many of the best players in the world can be traced back to the Ajax academy (known as ‘de Toekomst‘).
With Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie De Jong currently lighting up the Eredivise in the famous white and red strip, the stage is set for Hoogewerf to make a name for himself once they inevitably leave.
The 16-year-old striker has scored nine goals in 16 Eredivise Under-17 appearances this season and has the ability to play on the flanks.
Two-footed, strong and with the ability to create space for himself, the Netherlands Under-16 star is definitely one for the future.
Karamoko Dembele (Celtic)
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The prodigal teen will surely star for the Celtic senior team in no time
Fans will remember the Celtic forward from when he gained notoriety in 2016 after being called up for the Under-20 squad at the tender age of 13, before being invited to train with Brendan Rodgers’ senior squad.
Born in London, Dembele has all the attributes required to make it to the very top of world football, with his dribbling, shooting and passing abilities miles ahead of his peers.
Although he has played for England at Under-16 level, Dembele has also played for Scotland’s Under-17 side and provided an assist on his debut.
He moved to Scotland at the age of one and, although there will almost certainly be a massive play made by both nations for his international allegiance, fans will appreciate just how physically and technically blessed the 16-year-old is.
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