Rangnick says United cannot compete with Liverpool and City for players

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick has warned his successor Erik ten Hag that Manchester United struggle to recruit players and have fallen behind Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea as a favoured destination for the world’s biggest stars.

The 63-year-old German will remain in a consultancy role with the club next season while taking charge of the Austria national team after signing a two-year contract on Friday.

He will focus on recruitment for United under Ten Hag, the new manager, having been critical of the club’s work in that area during his five months in temporary charge of the team.

But while Rangnick claims that the Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is the sort of player United should be targeting in the summer, he concedes that Old Trafford is not the preferred destination it once was.

“As a club with regards to supporters, the stadium, the quality of the training ground, I would say yes, it definitely is,” Rangnick said when asked if United remain an attractive club for global stars.

“But we also have to be realistic. As soon as clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, City are involved, you need good reasons and somebody needs to explain to the players. And that is why it is also important what Erik thinks. I know from my time with Salzburg and Leipzig, and also now from Jürgen [Klopp] and Thomas [Tuchel], if they want the players, they are also involved. They speak with the players — the same is probably true with Pep [Guardiola] — they will speak to the players themselves and find out about their mentality and character. Are they really the best possible players for this club?”

While Rangnick has yet to speak to Ten Hag, despite the Dutchman being appointed more than a week ago, the interim manager has hammered out the details of his consultancy role with the United board. And it appears that recruitment will be the main thrust of his part-time job.

 “The most important bit is that we bring in the best possible players, speak about that and who could that could be,” Rangnick said. “It is not only about identifying them, but meeting them, convincing them to join the club, even though we will not play in the Champions League. Also, with regard to the top talented players from the academy, [to] identify those players.”