Gary Neville says Manchester United cannot sell Paul Pogba until they have brought in a replacement.
Pogba has made no secret of his desire to leave Old Trafford this summer after three years back at the club.
Juventus and Real Madrid are both keen on the Frenchman, who is expected back at United for the start of pre-season next week.
Neville insists Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should look to move Pogba on if he wants to go - but warned they must add new faces before that.
United have only made one signing so far this summer in Daniel James, although they are closing in on a deal for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
" Manchester United are a better team when Paul Pogba plays but if players don't want to be at the club - that doesn't mean Pogba, he may want to be at the club - you have to get everybody onside and aligned with where you're going," he told Sky Sports News.
"Ultimately, that's the first thing Ole had to do - to work out who was going to be ready for the club moving forward. They don't have to keep any player.
"You've got to get players in before you let them go because being armed with the money makes you vulnerable.
"For United, it's all about timing and manipulating and manoeuvring to a point where they know they're going to get players in before letting some go. Otherwise they'll become very easy to target in terms of people bumping the money up, which I'm sure they are already."
United are likely to prioritise a central defender once a deal for Wan-Bissaka is completed.
They are already on the lookout for a midfielder after Ander Herrera's exit with Sean Longstaff and Declan Rice targets after seemingly missing out on PSG outcast Adrien Rabiot.
