Teddy Sheringham names the two players Manchester United should have pursued 'two years ago'
Manchester United should have "broke the bank" for England stars Harry Kane and Declan Rice years ago, according to former Red Devils star Teddy Sheringham.
The club have been criticised in recent years for a perceived lack of ambition on the transfer market, with the biggest names heading to other clubs throughout England and Europe rather than landing at Old Trafford.
For Sheringham, the lack of desire to pursue Kane from Tottenham and Rice from West Ham when both were on the market in the summer of 2023 speaks to a change in philosophy from Man United that still rings true today.
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"The problems all started two years ago when they didn't make a bid for Harry Kane, the best available centre forward, the leader of football, and a professional at the top of his game," Sheringham told finaria.it. "That's what Man United used to do.
"They've set their stall out since then and said, look, we're not going for top players. They weren't in for Declan Rice, who would have run the midfield. He's going for 100 million.
"That's what Man United used to do: they broke the bank and got the top players in."
As for how the club can escape their current doldrums and regain their status among the Premier League elite, Sheringham has a suggestion.
"United need to start going for younger guns, but I mean, who's out there?" he said. "Would [Alexander] Isak come away from Newcastle to go to Man United at the moment? You'd like to think he would, being a Man United fan, but I'm not so sure he would, so the further they fall down the pecking order, the less chance they've got of signing top players."
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