Graeme Souness blasts four Man Utd stars and labels latest decision ‘a disgrace’

Graeme Souness has taken aim at Manchester United’s four summer signings, convinced they are not good enough to have them challenging for major honours this season.

United have endured a miserable start to the 2034-24 season, currenting languishing in 14^th place ahead of the visit of Brentford on Saturday.

Erik ten Hag’s future was under intense scrutiny throughout the international break with decisions made at board level also in the headlines this week following news Sir Alex Ferguson’s role has been ditched in another cost-cutting exercise.

In his column for the Daily Mail, Souness slammed the treatment of club legend Ferguson, whose ambassadorial role was reportedly worth £2million annually.

United spent over £200m during the summer transfer window – with only Chelsea outspending them – bringing in four new players in Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte.

With the new arrivals doing little to help United from their malaise, Souness has taken aim at Sir Jim Ratcliffe and United’s new football hierarchy, labelling the move a ‘disgrace’ and accusing them of ‘not understanding how football works’.

‘Their latest reported annual revenues were £661.8 million. The annual £2million they are cutting by dispensing with Fergie is a drop in the ocean,’ Souness wrote.

‘For me, this decision is proof that the people now running the club simply don’t understand how football works, how Manchester United work and how supporters view that institution.

‘On the evidence of what we’ve seen so far, the players they signed this summer – Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Nofussair Mazraoui – are not going to get United challenging for the two big trophies.

‘We’ve not seen the fifth, Leny Yoro, because he broke down in pre-season. This weekend, the club entertain Brentford, one of the minnows, who are three places above them. Even this game is a very dangerous one for the current United.’

Zirkzee scored on his Premier League debut against Fulham but has struggled since with de Ligt’s form inconsistent at best so far. Mazraoui has shone at right-back so far since his arrival from Bayern Munich but £50m signing Ugarte is still finding his feet, benched by ten Hag in United’s last two games.

Yoro meanwhile is recovering from a foot injury and is not expected to return until next month at the earliest.