A former Manchester United player believes the club would have already signed a current England international if Sir Alex Ferguson was still calling the shots.
Nicky Butt, who lifted eight league titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League during a 12-year spell at Old Trafford, has delivered a scathing assessment of his former club's current issues.
Ruben Amorim's side sit 13th in the Premier League with just eight wins from a possible 24 – a run of results that arguably make them the worst Manchester United side in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
After a recent four-match unbeaten run, the Reds were brought back down to earth on Sunday when they lost 2-0 against Crystal Palace.
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It has been a season to forget for United and former midfielder Butt gave a brutal insight into the challenge they have on their hands to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.
"Listen, Manchester United are a million miles off challenging for the title,’ the 50-year-old told Stadium Astro. "Look at Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and the way Chelsea are building.
"United have a massive job on their hands and it’s going to be three, four, five years before they are in a position to challenge again. They might win a cup with a bit of luck but they certainly won’t challenge for the Premier League for a good few years.
"It’s going to take a lot of patience, a lot of planning, a lot of money and good signings to get up to the levels. Liverpool are going nowhere, Arsenal will get better, Man City will get a lot better again, Chelsea are getting better.
"As much as I love Manchester United they don’t have a God-given right to win trophies. It’s a big project. They’re not going to get in ten players this summer and challenge next season, it’s just not going to happen."
Butt added: "So it’s about the project and the plan and it’s going to take time. They have to spend money, whatever it costs, on four or five top, proper players, proper men. Then these young boys already at the club can link onto then."
As per Metro, Butt went on to name Crystal Palace and England winger Eberechi Eze as someone who Sir Alex Ferguson would have signed during their 'heyday'.
Eze, who made his England debut in 2023 against Malta, was linked with a move to Manchester City and Tottenham last summer after an impressive campaign at Selhurst Park.
Butt added: "Manchester United don’t have that core group so they need to get the cheque book out and sign these £80m players that they used to.
"The lad at [Crystal] Palace, Eze, if it was ten years ago Manchester United would have put a £70-80 million bid and taken that boy. They can’t do it now because they haven’t got the power and that’s the scariest thing."
Thoughts on Butt's comments? Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United, Premier League
Jack Kenmare