Manchester United can win the title without any superstar signings, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United can become serious Premier League title contenders in two years without having to break their budget for a superstar signing.

Solskjaer is in discussions with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to help the club plan for the long term, despite the fact that no decision has yet been taken on who will manage them next season.

The Norwegian has acknowledged that United have too much to do to get back into this season’s title race, as they sit 14 points behind leaders Manchester City with 13 games left.

He also suggested that winning the Premier League next season may well be beyond United too, but feels that they can regain the mentality that brought Sir Alex Ferguson 38 trophies in his 26-and-a-half years as manager.

United have won nine and drawn the other of their 10 matches since Solskjaer replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho on December 19, a run that includes victories at Tottenham in the Premier League and Arsenal in the FA Cup.

He said: “I think we’re too far behind this year, obviously. You’ve got to catch up with the other teams ahead of us, especially Manchester City and Liverpool, but now Tottenham – they’re really in the running as well.

“There are three teams who have been far ahead. We’ve beaten Tottenham, so we know that we’re capable of that but we need the consistency.

“Two years’ time is long enough, but also short enough, to say that we’ve got the possibility to make a big difference in our preparation, in everything.

“Next year: you always hope, of course. When I went to Molde as manager, they were 11th in 2010, and in 2011 we won the league, so you can never say never.”

United have a series of high-profile signings over the past few seasons, with mixed results; Paul Pogba is showing his best form after an inconsistent two-and-a-half years following his £89m move from Juventus, Romelu Lukaku has not been at his best this season, while Alexis Sanchez has yet to transfer to United the form that made him such a success at Arsenal.

Solskjaer is not averse to the club making major signings, but feels it is more important that incoming players fit in with the culture at Old Trafford.

He said: “I think it is about who we’ve got here as well. If every single player can improve by one or two per cent, then that makes a difference.

“It is not about bringing in a certain number of players. It has to be the right one and one who fits; the personality has to fit with the team. It is not just a case of buying a superstar and that will fix things, and that suddenly we will go from challenging to being top four and be champions.”

Solskjaer, who scored the goal that won United the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, has also set the club a target of being a significant presence in Europe again.

United, who host Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, won the Europa League two seasons ago, but last reached the final of Europe’s main club competition in 2011.

He said: “That is what we have to strive for. If we don’t dream and we don’t have that vision of where we are going, then we will just falter.

“I am only used to this club challenging for trophies so that is where I see us.”