Manchester United need to be looking at spending another £170 million ($218m) in the next transfer window, according to Gary Neville.
The Red Devils have booked themselves a return to Champions League competition for 2020-21.
With a top-four finish seemingly out of reach at the midway point in 2019-20, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side found the consistency required to eventually end up in third spot.
Elite European action will be back at Old Trafford next season, with that expected to be a useful bargaining tool in the summer transfer window.
United are being linked with a number of players, including Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish and cash is set to be splashed.
Recruitment dice were rolled the last time the Red Devils made the top four under Jose Mourinho, and Neville hopes a similar approach will be adopted this time around with there still a sizeable gap to be closed on leading domestic and continental rivals.
The United legend told Sky Sports after seeing Solskjaer’s side edge past Leicester on the final day of the season: “They [United’s starting XI] were absolutely done in with 20 minutes to go and that just demonstrates that they need more players in the squad.
‘The last time United finished in the top three they spent £170m under Jose Mourinho that summer and obviously didn’t invest it as wisely as they have this last year. I think United need to invest that money again but do it correctly this time to get anywhere need Liverpool and City. That squad needs improving, that team needs improving.’
United found plenty of value in deals for the likes of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Bruno Fernandes during the 2019-20 campaign. Neville is looking for more of the same, with there still obvious holes to be filled in the Red Devils’ squad.
He added: ‘They need to improve the first XI, first and foremost.
‘That’s not to the detriment of any of the players that have played [against Leicester]. There are players who were out there who are good enough to be part of the squad that can still compete if you’re going to play 55, 60 games in a season.
‘It’s about making sure you get players in that want to play for the right club, who are coming for the right reasons.’
Roy Keane has echoed the thoughts of a former teammate, with another United icon having said on what the Red Devils require: ‘I think they need another centre-half, certainly one or two defenders. Gary made a point that when you’re at a big club like United you want options all over the park.
‘I think they’ll probably need another striker. We talk about [Mason] Greenwood coming through but he’s still a young player finding his way.’