need ‘surgery’ on and off the field this summer and it will take a long time before the club will be competing for major silverware again.
That’s according to former Reds midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who says a ‘lack of strategy and plan’ has cost United dearly in recent years.
United’s top four hopes were dealt a hammer blow on Saturday when they were held at home by .
With a spot looking United’s most realistic finish, the club are set for a summer up upheaval as Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard leave on free transfers.
They’re just four of 11 players that could depart, while the club need to appoint a new long-term manager.
‘I’m not surprised, they’ve been drifting for years,’ Hargreaves told Premier League Productions.
‘They’ve been drifting since Sir Alex left. There’s a lack of strategy and plan. They’ve spent £1.2bn on this group of players and they’re not in a position where you can say there’s a blueprint there.
‘Martin [O’Neil] makes a great point about . Yeah, it took a bit of time but there was a blueprint and everyone believed it was going to work. He said ‘give me a bit of time and it’ll work’.
‘United need more surgery again in the summer. ’s going to leave, Edinson Cavani is going to leave. Who is the manager? Who is the sporting director? You’re going to need to spend more money on the group because you’re not in the top four. I thought today was a worry but the whole season has been a worry. They stopped playing for Ole. They could have done more than today because it was a must-win for the top four.
‘This needs a lot of work. You talk about Rangnick, Solskjaer or whatever but it needs a lot of work and it starts at the top – they’ve got to get the top right. They’ve got to get the head of football right, then the coach right and then the squad right so they have a blueprint of how they want to way and sign some top players because today is not what it’s about.’
Erik ten Hag is the favourite to take charge at Old Trafford, though he faces competition from Mauricio Pochettino.
Both men are keen to be appointed and have been interviewed by the club.
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