Paul Merson: Man United’s ‘cringeworthy’ form won’t attract top players
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Man United will find it difficult to attract top players this summer
Paul Merson has warned Manchester United’s “embarrassing” performances won’t help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer attract top players to the club this summer.
The Red Devils are on course to miss out on a top-four finish this season unless Chelsea FC and Arsenal slip up in their final two Premier League games of the 2018-19 campaign.
Manchester United have wasted opportunities to seize a place in the top four due to some surprise results – and they now trail fourth-placed Chelsea FC by three points.
The Red Devils have lost seven of their last 10 games in all competitions to exit the Champions League and the FA Cup.
Manchester United have suffered defeats by Manchester City, Arsenal, Everton and Wolves in the Premier League to squander a place in the top four.
Solskjaer’s side will take on Huddersfield Town in their final away fixture of the season on Sunday before Manchester United host Cardiff City on the final day of the campaign.
The Manchester United manager will be hoping to overhaul his squad this summer to build a team capable of challenging Manchester City and Liverpool FC next term.
However, Merson believes the Red Devils will find it difficult to attract top players in the summer transfer window.
“I’m watching them now and honestly, it’s cringeworthy, it’s embarrassing,” Merson told Sky Sports. “It’s embarrassing. Manchester United have to get into the Champions League.
“Players will be looking at this and thinking they are a million miles behind Manchester City and Liverpool, who are their arch-rivals.
“If you look at Jose Mourinho at the end it was a relief that he left because he probably thought: ‘How he was going to close the gap?’ Mourinho would have looked at Liverpool rising too.
“In my opinion Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, but if they came in for me and I was a top drawer player but I could go other places, I would seriously be looking and thinking: ‘Would I want to come here? Are we ever going to get near City or Liverpool?”
Manchester United have only managed to finish in the top four twice since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
