• ‘I am going to do what is best for the club,’ manager insists • Harry Maguire likely to be fit to face Norwich at Old Trafford

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has shifted his stance and said he is ready to sign a player this month as a “short-term fix” for Manchester United but insists it would not be to protect his own position.

The manager has previously dismissed adding anyone who would be of use only in the immediate future but said on Friday: “It wouldn’t always be the worst thing you can do to put a short-term fix in if it’s good for the group here and now.

“But you wouldn’t put yourself in a situation where you’ve done something that you regret in 18 months’ time. We’ve got to do due diligence – character of players, quality of players that are the right fit into this squad.”

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Gary Neville, a former United captain, recently stated that Solskjær should “spend the club’s money to protect himself”. This was put to the Norwegian.

“No, not at all; I am not going to protect myself,” he said. “I am going to do what is best for the club, what I think and we feel is right for the club and I will never put myself before the club. This is Man Utd and there is no I in Manchester and for me there is no I in this team. I could never ever do that – that’s not me. I am working for Man Utd, not for me.”

Solskjær was asked whether he is forthright enough with Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, regarding potential targets.

“Of course I am,” he said. “Of course we have got open discussions and of course we’re open and honest. But I wouldn’t say to you what I say to him. That’s none of my concern really and it shouldn’t be. I would never say I need this and this player out of the club to you.”

Solskjær would be content if no one were signed in January. “I have those conversations with Ed all the time,” he said. “And we are looking at how we are going to look in one month’s time, five months’ time, in the longer period. He knows my feelings and we know our feelings. I am very happy with these players.”

Jesse Lingard is out of Saturday’s visit of Norwich because of flu. He is thought to be consulting Mino Raiola, the agent of Paul Pogba, who Solskjær recently said should not comment about United. Yet Solskjær says he would have no issue with Lingard taking Raiola’s advice.

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“Jesse is working for Man Utd,” he said. “Whoever he speaks to and gets his advice from is none of my business and Jesse knows what we expect from him. I have a great open relationship with Jesse – we talk freely, so I don’t speak to the agents of many players.”

Harry Maguire is in a race to be fit because of an injured hip, Solskjær describing the centre-back as a “warrior”. United believed earlier in the week that Maguire would be out for a prolonged period because of the severity of the problem. Yet Solskjær said: “He’s got a chance for tomorrow. [It] was a minor thing; he will go through training today. He’s a warrior.”