Manchester United Need a Player Like Bryan Robson, Says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping the Red Devils can bring in a player in the mould of club legend Bryan Robson.

Former captain Robson played for United from 1981 to 1994, making 461 appearances and winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.

Per Goal's James Westwood, Solskjaer said: "I never had the honour of playing with Robbo, but we need a player like him in the team. We need to win again. We are on the way to building a new squad. We've got new staff in, coaching staff. I believe so much in this club and this project."

On United's recruitment this summer, he added: "Timing is obviously an issue, but we're working, as I've said before—of course, we're optimistic."

One of Robson's most enduring qualities as a player was his leadership, and as well as being United's longest-serving skipper, he also donned the captain's armband in 65 of his 90 England appearances.

Football writer Andrew Gaffney observed United's lack of leadership after their 4-0 aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final last season:

During United's 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town in the penultimate game of the campaign, Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News only saw Ander Herrera fulfilling that role, and the Spaniard left for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer this summer:

Although there are a number of factors behind the Red Devils' decline since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013—chief among them the Scot's departure—it is perhaps no coincidence United have struggled at a time when leaders on the pitch have been a little harder to come by at Old Trafford.

Untied finished sixth last season, the fourth time they've ended a campaign outside the Premier League's top four since Ferguson called time on his career.

They have a lot of ground to make up on their rivals at the top of the table, and doing so will require them to put together a coherent unit on the pitch, which is something they've lacked since Ferguson's days.

Adding a player with leadership qualities as part of that can also make them a more resilient and formidable outfit.