Ralf Rangnick has warned Manchester United that they must stop wasting money in the transfer market if they are to compete with rivals Manchester City and Liverpool. Speaking ahead of his first Manchester derby, the interim boss highlighted that City and Liverpool have set the benchmark with their recruitment strategies over the last five or six years.
United have spent over £1 billion on new players since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, yet have sacked four managers and are set to finish below City for the ninth consecutive season. Rangnick stressed the importance of having a clear identity and signing players that fit the system, something both City and Liverpool have done successfully.
The German said: 'It's about having a clear transfer strategy and signing players who fit into that system — and that's what both clubs have been doing. Under Sir Alex, we were there, but since then there have been quite a few different managers.'
Rangnick, who took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November, will move into an advisory role at the end of the season. He acknowledged that missing out on Champions League qualification would have serious financial consequences and make it harder to attract new players.
'Financially, everybody knows what missing the top four would mean,' he added. 'You would have less money available for your budget and it would be better for all the players and staff if we played Champions League next season.'
