Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urges Edinson Cavani to stay at Manchester United

The manager hopes that playing in front of a packed Old Trafford can convince Cavani to stay in Manchester for another year.

Edinson Cavani in a file photo; Credit: Manchester United Twitter
By Karthik Raman | Apr 30, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he will do his best to convince Edinson Cavani to stay at Old Trafford next season. It should come as no surprise on the back of his influential performance in the first leg of the Europa League semifinal on Thursday night. The Uruguayan played a pivotal role in helping the team come from behind to destroy Roma 6-2 at Old Trafford. Thanks to Cavani’s masterclass, United are on the brink of the Europa League final.

Cavani started United’s second-half fightback with his first-time strike to level the score sheet. Immediately later, he pounced on a rebound to put Manchester United in front. Edinson won the penalty from which Bruno Fernandes scored to make it 4-2. After Paul Pogba headed home the fifth, Cavani set up substitute Mason Greenwood for a sixth. Not to forget the Uruguayan beautifully assisted Fernandes for the opening goal in the first half.

“Edinson was excellent. I’ve said before, he plays as a centre-forward should be playing, running the channels, being the focal points, creating chances for others, scoring goals,” Solskjaer said after the match. “He missed a couple of chances as well, but that is what he is there to do really, if he gets three or four chances a game, he will score two or three goals.”

“I’m absolutely delighted with him. You can see the difference in him, he’s worked up his fitness having had a long lay-off. He’s making up for lost time. He is more than a goal poacher, he’s a very good goal scorer. He’s played football for so long; he has a calmness and composure about him.”

“The flick for the first goal, the pass for Mason’s goal, he’s just showing his experience and we need that at this time of the season. We want and need our experienced players to step up and he definitely has done.”

‘I’m doing my best’

Expressing his desire to keep Cavani in the club for another year, Solskjaer believes that the prospect of playing in front of a packed Old Trafford can convince Cavani to stay in Manchester atleast for another season.

“Edinson was out for seven months and not playing football for a very long time before he came to us,” Solskjaer added. “He’s had a couple of injuries and has worked really hard to show his quality.”

“He knows my feelings, he knows that I would love to have him for another year, we have spoken about it. I understand this year has been very difficult, but I promised him that Old Trafford and Manchester is a different place with fans in the stadium.”

“I’m doing my best, nights like this [help], hopefully, we can get to the final and hopefully he can see himself being here for another year.”

Ole further explained how different the atmosphere in the ground will be with fans, especially for a striker. “We don’t have to sell the club to him. It’s about the feeling he gets coming into training every day, the environment we created, the team we are creating that he is a part of,” he added.

“He has to feel what it’s like to score those goals at the Stretford End with fans, it’s a different feeling. We’ve got the best fans and, as a goalscorer, there is no better feeling than scoring and celebrating in front of them.”





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