Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed Manchester United’s stance over Erling Braut Haaland – even after the Norwegian starlet scored a stunning hat-trick on his Borussia Dortmund debut.

Solskjaer aimed a thinly-veiled swipe at the strikers’ agent Mino Raiola, insisting United will not be held to ransom over their transfer targets regardless of their desperation to bring in reinforcements this month.

Haaland was at the top of United’s January wish list, but they were put off by attempts to insert a buyout clause in his contract.

The Old Trafford club are also threatening to walk away from a deal for Bruno Fernandes after baulking at Sporting Lisbon’s £55million asking price.

United’s failure to secure a deal for Haaland has come back to haunt them after Marcus Rashford was ruled out for months with a double stress fracture to the back.

But Solskjaer, who will try to bring emergency loan signings before the transfer deadline, is adamant United have to make a stand.

“Of course we don’t want to inflate the prices,” he said. “That is important - that we use common sense.

“There are other things, too, when you sign players, that you have to keep in control. You can’t give agents the control by giving buyout clauses and stuff.

“That has been touted around. We have to be in control.”

United are still hoping to reach a compromise over Fernandes, with talks continuing this week.

But the need to recruit a striker is also a must after losing leading scorer Rashford.

Still, Solskjaer has defended the decision not to replace the departed Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in the summer.

“We are planning and we are looking,” he said. “As I’ve said so many times before, we didn’t find the right one for the right price.

“Of course we knew we were a forward light when Romelu went and Alexis went, but you’ll not see Anthony (Martial), Marcus and Mason (Greenwood) do as well as they’ve done unless you give them the chance to play.

“Harry Hindsight, he’s quite clever. That’s the thing. We’ve got to make decisions there and then on what we believe in, and I still stick with that.

“We are looking at different scenarios. If there are deals to be done, we will update you on that.

“We know that Marcus is out for a few months. That will take its toll on the team because we are stretched.”