Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has issued a hands-off warning to Real Madrid and Barcelona over Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford by insisting both players are “vital” to his plans to build a Manchester United team “worthy of the history of the club”.

Pogba has flirted with Real in recent weeks and is greatly admired by their French coach, Zinedine Zidane, while Rashford – who is in talks over a long-term contract with United – has interested Barcelona.

As Solskjaer prepares to embark on a careful recruitment drive this summer, with a forward, midfielder, right-back and centre-back positions to fill, the new permanent United manager says it is imperative the club retain their best players, including Pogba and Rashford.

“They are vital for our future,” Solskjaer said. “You have got loads of players who you can build a team around and those are two that you asked me about.”

Asked if the pair could realise all their ambitions at Old Trafford, Solskjaer added: “I would believe so. That’s our aim as a club, to be achieving what we have done in the past. That is the expectations here.