Gary Neville's Man Utd verdict ahead of the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Man United great disappointed his former side have been slow in their transfer business.

Gary Neville. [Getty]

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has given his verdict on his former side ahead of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign.

The former England right-back says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's current team does not have the quality to challenge for the English top-flight title this season.

He also urged the Old Trafford club to make 4-5 additions if they are to get anywhere close to Manchester City and champions Liverpool.

While speaking to Sky Sports, the former Red Devils captain said: "The squad needed four or five improvements and it still needs four or five improvements. I've been saying that for a year and I've even nominated the positions I feel they need to improve.

"It's frustrating at the moment, as a United fan, that the club haven't done their business earlier, but there have been times where the club have panicked in the transfer market in the last 10 years, where they've been reactive, where they've overpaid and where they've got it wrong.

"So, you have to be sensible. If the deals aren't there to do, you don't do them, but there's definitely that tension building, particularly on social media. Why has Jadon Sancho not signed? Why have we not got Thiago Alcantara? Why haven't we got whoever it might be that's gone to another club?

"The club have obviously got a policy, a strategy and that's a big thing. It's a lot better than it was a few years ago when they were flip flopping between the philosophies of different managers. I feel there is something there now that's in the roots of the club and they've got to make sure they don't get it wrong. One transfer window where you get it wrong, it will unlock the work that's been done in the last 12 to 18 months.

"However, they do have to sign players. They do have to get players in so that they can break into the top two.

"That has to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's goal this season and to do that he needs support. The board will know that, but they've got to get the deals done. They are up against smart operators, they are up against all the agents in the market and it's not easy, but that's what they are there to do.

"They've got to try and be good at that game, get in front of people and get the deals done quickly without exposing the club to the wrong signing or paying too much for a player.

"The fans I speak to aren't saying we desperately want Sancho.

"They are saying we want the right calibre of signing brought into the club. It could be anybody that fits that bill. Yes, Sancho may fit that bill, but I'm not sat here as a United fan thinking I desperately want him.

"It could be any number of players that become available that would improve United. If Harry Kane became available, and Tottenham fans will be saying why are you trying to get him out of Spurs again, but if he became available, he'd obviously improve United's squad. So it doesn't have to be a certain player.

"The emergence of Mason Greenwood takes a bit of pressure off the situation but still, Manchester United need to add to the front three of Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. They need to challenge those three players and support those three players. They need to have depth behind those three players, and they will drive the standards.

"We saw that with Greenwood, Martial, and Rashford towards the end of the season. They were driving each other to score more goals, assist each other, they were playing better together so other players coming in of that kind of quality are going to improve them.

"They have to sign a world-class centre-back. For me, another midfield player. I also think a right-winger, a centre-forward and you have to look at left-back because of Luke Shaw's injuries and the fact he has obviously been in and out of the team in the last two or three years.

"So, I think there are definitely four or five players required, and to not get three, I think it would be a problem because of what the other clubs are doing. If Liverpool get Thiago, if Manchester City do what they are looking like they are going to do and with Chelsea doing what they've done, they are your competitors and they all look like they are improving and moving forward.

"So, United have to do business but I do believe more in the strategy of what's happening, they just have to get the deals over the line. That's not always easy but they have to try and do it quickly to give Ole the time to build to get this team moulded for the start of the season."

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