Rio Ferdinand has revealed his concern over whether Manchester United will be able to attract the calibre of player they want in the summer.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad is in major need of reconstruction and United are expected to back their new manager with several significant signings when the transfer window opens on July 1.
However, Ferdinand isn't confident in United's ability to convince the very best players to move to Old Trafford given how much the club has struggled in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
“It’s easy to say who you’re going to go for but are Man United going to be at the front of the queue now for players if you’re going to go for the top, top-level players?" Ferdinand said on BT Sport after United's Champions League quarter-final defeat by Barcelona.
"It is a giant of club and if I was a player out there and Manchester United came in for me now in today’s game, I’d be thinking: ‘Can I be one of the players that’s the catalyst to getting this club back to where it should be?’
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“I still think Manchester United carry the weight in terms of the exposure the player will get once they come here. But the recruitment here in the last few years has probably not been at the level you want for this club."
Speculation surrounding Paul Pogba's future refuses to go away but Ferdinand believes United need to keep hold of the World Cup-winning midfielder.
"I think there’s a big decision in the summer," Ferdinand added. "I think it’s up to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. There’s been things in the media mooted that he might want to leave or he’s fancying a trip abroad but I think you build the team around a player of his calibre.
"Because you’ve seen it once Ole came into the job, his level went up. He’s got 16 goals this season, albeit six of them penalties - but the output in terms of goals has shown a marked improvement since Ole’s come in. So that’s a thing I’m sure he’ll take into account."
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