Gary Neville has told Mauricio Pochettino to reject the Manchester United job unless the club promise to sign two defenders in the January transfer window. With United confirming the sacking of Michael Carrick on Thursday morning, Pochettino is now expected to take over at Old Trafford.
After Sunday's 4-4 draw at home to Aston Villa, United sit 18th in the Premier League table after 10 games, while they are also out of the Carabao Cup following a defeat to Brighton in September.
Agreement reached but concerns remain
Pochettino, who has a $10 million (£7.44m) release clause in his contract with the United States Soccer Federation, has already reached an agreement with United over a move to Old Trafford. However, Neville believes the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager should turn down United unless the club's hierarchy can issue guarantees over spending in the next two transfer windows.
Speaking on Stick to Football, Neville said: "I've actually asked for Mauricio Pochettino to be the manager of Manchester United probably for seven or eight years and he's finally going to get it, a bit late in the day for me but he's finally going to get it.
Defensive concerns highlighted
"He's going to be sat in the Anfield dugout a week on Sunday, do we think that this is an appointment that will take Manchester United back to a level whereby over three or five years he can keep his job and he can deliver what Klopp did at Liverpool or what Arteta did at Arsenal where there's that gradual improvement, that feeling you're on a journey where something can happen?
"If I was Mauricio Pochettino now, I would be literally protecting myself up to the high heaven. He'll do that with a payoff, so do that in your contract. But secondly, he needs two defenders in January. So he's got to insist that he gets two defenders in January.
"He's got to insist that he gets a minimum budget next summer for the transfer window to be able to turn this around. He's got to insist that he gets a budget that follows.
Transfer control demanded
"They have to give it to him, or else he shouldn't take the job. If you are not going to give them a look without that defence and that midfield, by the way, and that midfield has some money spent on it, he's got to insist on the way in there's some form of transfer control, there's some sort of budget where he can meaningfully change the team. I think he needs to protect himself in the next 12 months with the transfer budget, he has to. The only time you can insist on it is at the very beginning.
"Because if they have Dorgu at left-back, Mazraoui at right-back and Yoro and Heaven at centre-back, he will have to do one hell of a job coaching to get them up the league."
Neville added: "The back four that he finished with on Sunday was Dalot left-back, Mazraoui right-back, Lenny Yoro and Ayden Heaven. That is probably the worst back four in the Premier League. I don't know a back four that is worse than that in the Premier League right now if I watch it. That is… I can't believe Manchester United have ended up with that back four."
