Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has defended his comments suggesting Manchester United would need to spend £1billion to become title challengers again.
United finished 32 points behind champions Man City last season and already trail Liverpool by ten points after six games of the new term.
Sutton stated in his weekly newspaper column that a huge amount would be needed to see them return to their previous successes.
The pundit's outlandish comments resurfaced during BBC 5 Live's Monday Night Club where Sutton was on hand to make his point again.
He explained: "How many of their players would get into the Manchester City and Liverpool teams? I think that is the point. You look at midfield going forward at the weekend and they have got massive problems.
"So how much does it cost or how much will they have to spend to bring in quality players who can compete? And when you chuck wages into the equation, it's going to up to a £1billion if they want to change.
"If United change manager at this very moment, what is the first thing the new manager is going to go in and say? They are going to say how much because this team needs an enormous shake-up and that was the point."
Sutton had earlier written in his Daily Mail column:"How much would Manchester United have to spend to stand a chance of competing with Manchester City and Liverpool? I came to the conclusion it would take more than a billion pounds. Seriously.
"With Paul Pogba out injured, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielded a midfield two of Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic at West Ham . I’m not sure that is even top-10 worthy. To compete for the big trophies you need big players and United don’t have those.
"What’s the solution to all this? I don’t think it is to sack Solskjaer. I’m not saying he is carrying it out well, but at least he has a plan. He is developing younger players, partly because he has no choice.
"Can United afford to spend more than half-a-billion pounds in a bid to become top-four competitors again? It didn’t work with Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. I’m not sure ripping up the manual and appointing a new manager is the answer."
