Gary Neville Says Man Utd Need a 'Wheeler Dealer' to Help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Reshape Red Devils

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has revealed the club are planning to revamp their squad this summer, with several elite players on their radar.

United have clawed their way back into the race for the top four since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December, now finding themselves level on points with Tottenham in the final Champions League qualifying place. However, Neville believes that the Red Devils require significant personnel changes if they are to challenge for the Premier League title next season.

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Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he stated: "There’s four or five players that he will want to keep that are out of contract that he needs to tie down. There are four or five players that he’ll need to bring in. And there are probably four or five players that he needs to get out.

"So if you think about that in terms of the job over the next two or three months, you’ve got probably 12 live situations: four players we need to sign on contracts, four players we need get into the club and four players we need to get out for the most money possible."

The 44-year-old recognised that Solskjaer would require help in reshaping the team, declaring: "That needs a good wheeler dealer behind the scenes, someone who can manage that situation. 

"Manchester United haven’t been brilliant at that over the last few years. So that’s the big job, and it’s not [Solskjaer’s] job, but it will determine the outcome of his success," the Champions League winner continued. 

"I’ve said before that they need the best in class recruitment and the technical side in behind the manager or else he will continue to fail."

Neville went on to highlight the Red Devils' sub-par performance in recent years compared to those of their rivals. "Over the last six or seven years, United have put £700m into that squad and they’re still falling well short of where Liverpool and Manchester City are at the moment in terms of winning titles. In fact, they’re 18 points behind.

"So what you’ve got to look at is how Manchester United bridge that gap and they’re going to need to bridge it with, yes, the spirit that Solskjaer’s created but they have to get better players on the pitch that can compete with Liverpool and City to go along with some of the very good players they’ve already got."