Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has called on Sir Jim Ratcliffe to make a ‘big statement’ this summer.
Club legend Peter Schmeichel says Manchester United urgently need to change direction and start operating more efficiently.
Schmeichel was speaking to Premier League Productions following Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
It was Manchester United’s 14th league defeat from 36 games played this season, with the team on course for a lowest ever points total in the Premier League era.
Manchester United need change
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Peter Schmeichel says he likes what he has heard from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and wants to see big changes this summer.
The Dane said: “Something’s got to give and that is my hope that this summer, something big, a big statement, is going to be made that tells me as a Manchester United fan, that we’re now changing direction, we cannot continue in the same way.
“We cannot keep believing that we can buy players and buy our way out of it because we tried. We have really, really tried.
“We are the football club in the world with the highest net spent in the last 10 years. We can’t keep doing that. We’ve got to be clever.
“We’ve got to we’ve got to develop players as the club has always done for the most successful periods.
“We’ve got to be smart and scout really well and do due diligence on players, make sure that we get the right type of players.”
Peter Schmeichel unconvinced on Erik ten Hag
Peter Schmeichel says he is unconvinced on whetherErik ten Hag should stay on at the club as manager.
He said: “What are the changes going to be? I don’t know, people crying for a new manager, people crying for certain players to leave. We have to wait and see but something’s got to give for sure. And it’s not going to be a quick fix whatever happens.”
Schmeichel says he is uninspired by Ten Hag’s comments after matches and has his doubts over whether the Dutchman is the right manager to lead the team forward.
“It’s one of his problems doing these post-match interviews, I’m not sure he can, or knows precisely what to say.
“I don’t think he’s excelling. In that and, you know, sometimes I just, I’m worried about, you know, what’s going to happen going forward. If he is the one driving the bus? I am. I have to be honest.”
Ten Hag is still fighting for his job, amid a run of just one victory in the last eight league games.
Two Premier League matches remain, at home to Newcastle and away at Brighton, before the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
He is fast running out of time to leave the season with a positive impression. There will be changes this summer, a statement like Schmeichel describes. Whether Ten Hag is part of it, remains to be seen.