Speaking on BT Sport’s coverage of Manchester United vs Istanbul Basaksehir (24/11/20 8PM kick-off), Owen Hargreaves implored the Red Devils to emulate Liverpool’s Director of Football model.
The ex-United midfielder was talking about how United can get back to the top of English football, and he clearly believes that one of the key problems at Old Trafford is recruitment.
One club that has thrived in the transfer market in recent years is Liverpool, and Hargreaves said that United need to get a Michael Edwards type figure in to help them sign the right players.
“I think you just look at Michael Edwards, what he’s doing at Liverpool, the job he’s done,” Hargreaves said on BT Sport.
“The guy is putting on a clinic every summer in how to sign a player. Look at Jota who has come in, the impact that he’s had.
“Liverpool had a really good team before Alisson came in and [Virgil] van Dijk, but you don’t need much then you go and sign one there, one there.
“You go from being a good team to a great team then add Fabinho, Thiago. I just think that is the model, so I think you need that guy.
“It’s not just about the coach. They’ve tried [Louis] van Gaal, they’ve tried [Jose] Mourinho. I think Ole now, give him time.”
How the tables have turned.
For years in the Premier League era, Liverpool were striving to emulate Manchester United’s success and now it’s the othe way around.
The Red Devils are no longer the dominant force in England, and while there are a lot of factors at play, Michael Edwards’ genius in the transfer market has certainly helped turn the tide in Liverpool’s favour.
As Hargreaves says, he’s found the perfect players time after time, while United have been busy spending huge fees on underwhelming players.
United could probably do with working with a model similar to Liverpool’s, but we’re sure that Reds fans hope they don’t find the same type of success.
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