Football’s lockdown came at a bad time for Manchester United. It’s a month since that last game amid empty seats in an Austrian suburb, but United were impressing before the pause. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were eleven unbeaten, scoring more than Kyle Walker and keeping cleaner sheets too.

Solskjaer was preparing his team to attack away on their first ever visit to Tottenham’s new stadium, key players were back from injuries and new signings had quickly settled. The league title had long gone, but fourth looked achievable, the FA Cup and/or the Europa League too.

But instead of a Europa League game on Thursday against Inter Milan, Roma or Sevilla (but more likely Wolves), United’s players are at home. Some have travelled back to their home countries to be with their families. You can’t blame them: Spain is only behind Italy for the most coronavirus deaths, among them former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz and Dolors Sala, mother of Pep Guardiola. This week’s death of Radomir Antić, the only man to coach Barça, Madrid and Atletico (and an unlikely playing hero at Luton Town where he sent Manchester City down), added to the sadness.

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Football will go on. United have done much right in the lockdown, pleasing and surprising their own fans as the club engage with their local community, support their own staff and the fans themselves. This means much, not that there’s any need for such self-aggrandising slogans on flag poles around Old Trafford.

Employees are still working. Coaches watch games, chat, WhatsApp and video call each other (when they’re not doing United-related quizzes), analysts cut segments and increase their knowledge base. They’re recharging their batteries and spending time with their families too, something they do too little of during the season.

Solskjaer knows the players he wants to move on and those he wants for the transfer window – which will now be between the end of the current season and the start of the new one, whenever that is.

In his press conference, the Norwegian clumsily used the word “exploit” when outlining how United might use this coronavirus hiatus to prepare for the future, but he’s essentially right. United are far better off financially than their rivals in football’s dog-eat-dog world, chiefly because of those sponsorship deals which the club have done better than any of their rivals to tie up.

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United need more quality, the current squad still needs strengthening to get the team back to the top and plans were put in place for transfer targets months ago.

At least Solskjaer should have Marcus Rashford back when football resumes and he’ll have an excellent first XI. Paul Pogba may even make himself available for selection before the end of the his contract but, supreme talent that he is, United have demonstrated that they can manage without him. I’d still like to see a way for Pogba to be a success at Old Trafford, but that’s a detached, minority view. Most United fans are sick of him, though fans can change their tune very quickly. They were also sick of him when Solskjaer was appointed.

United will buy. Dortmund knew that this summer would be the one when Jadon Sancho was likely to move, but if Barça need to sell players first or Liverpool or Chelsea aren’t in the market for a player likely to cost €100 million, then the price will drop. PSG do have that money, though the player favours a return to England.

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Sancho and Jack Grealish, the Aston Villa midfielder who has been doing his best to keep the mechanics of the West Midlands in business in the lockdown, are two of the main targets – the club’s first choices. If United don’t get them then they move to their second choices such as United fan James Maddison at Leicester City.

Fred and Nemanja Matic have been among the best players recently and Scott McTominay has made a welcome return to the first team, but if Pogba is allowed to leave as he wishes, United will need another top-class midfielder to replace him.

They need a world-class player on the right too. Daniel James started well, but wide men need to score goals. When James netted at Lask, it was his first goal since the three he managed in August. In mitigation, he didn’t expect to be playing so frequently and he’s not done badly in his first season in the top flight.

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Like every major club, United have been watching Birmingham’s 16-year-old captain Jude Bellingham. He’s advised by his father, a former non-league striker and current police sergeant who is rightly protective towards his son without being what some at United would call a “helicopter parent” – that is someone who hovers over their every move, to the detriment of their child.

Bellingham and his family have visited United’s training ground, where they were charmed by Sir Alex Ferguson. United are in a strong position when attracting new players. The name helps, the money too since United can pay top dollar. As does the evidence that young players can go directly into the first team if they are good enough. Solskjaer echoes the “if they’re good enough, they’re old enough” sentiment espoused by Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. Youth gets a chance.

Three signings will delight United fans. Bruno Fernandes’ acquisition during the January transfer window came out of the summer budget so there will need to be outgoings. But what a signing it has been, the Portuguese becoming the main man in the team within a month.

The United futures of Pogba, who has long wanted to leave but should perhaps be careful what he wishes for, Jesse Lingard and the loan players is doubtful.

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One of those loan players is the cash-draining Alexis Sanchez, the club’s top earner who has harmed rather than helped his reputation in Milan with an injury hit and one-goal contribution to Inter’s season. The Chilean, 31, has a contract until 2022. It’s easy to judge after the event and Sanchez’s 2018 signing was greeted very positively by fans, but there has not been a bigger waste of United’s money. Lauren Sanchez would have been more effective up front – and she wouldn’t need those inflated wages.

Marcos Rojo, on loan at Estudiantes, also has a lavish United contract, but it’s improbable that he’ll become a regular first-teamer again. Besides, United must keep the pathway open to the first team for the other promising youngsters. There are several in the youth ranks and the youth team were about to play in the Youth Cup semifinal against Chelsea.

United have to start next season better than this. There can be no waiting until the 13th game for an away win, no hoping to move up to fourth. United’s youngsters should continue to improve with age, but the team is still well behind Liverpool and Manchester City, but the gap must close. And since United have beaten City in three of four games this season, there’s evidence that it already has. United must be better against the lower teams, but the clouds which have hung over the club for much of the past year have cleared and an optimism and confidence has finally permeated through the club in these dark times.

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