Sunderland boss David Moyes thinks Manchester United have lost some of their “great traditions”.
Moyes lasted barely ten months at Old Trafford after being chosen to take over from compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson in 2014.
The Scot referred to the fact that the Red Devils had “tended to pick British managers” as one of the ways in which the club have departed from their traditional approach.
“I can say that’s gone,” added Moyes.
“There have been a few changes at Manchester United but that’s the way they have chosen to go.”
Since Ferguson’s departure, United have splashed the cash on a number of high-profile signings, including Juan Mata, Angel Di Maria and Paul Pogba.
“They were a football club who enjoyed traditions __with the way they spent,” said Moyes.
“They didn’t try to compete __with all the other clubs. They did what they thought was the right thing to do and spent the right way.
“Maybe that has had to change because of the current situation. [But] Sir Alex [Ferguson] went out and bought wisely and correctly in the transfer market and what he thought he needed to do.”
What a stadium! 🔝🔝🔴🔴 @ManUtd #OldTrafford #TheTheatreOfDreams pic.twitter.com/JqKpzoNAY5
— Juan Mata García (@juanmata8) December 23, 2016
Moyes confirmed that the club missed out on several of his key targets during his short tenure at the club.
“When I first went in my real target was Gareth Bale,” said Moyes, who takes his Sunderland side to Old Trafford on Boxing Day. “I felt all along that Gareth Bale was a Manchester United player.
“I fought right until the last minute. We actually offered a bigger deal than Real Madrid. But Gareth had his mind made up on going to Real Madrid. That was, in my mind, the player I really wanted to bring to Manchester United.
“The other one was Cesc Fabregas, who we thought we would get right up until the last minute.
“I remember when I first met Sir Alex and he always said there was a chance Ronaldo might come back.
“So that was the level we were targeting. I was not going out to bring in seven, eight players, because we had a squad which had just won the league.
“Toni Kroos was agreed to come in the summer. I had agreed it with Toni himself and his agent. Sometimes you don’t get deals done. Gareth Bale, we were probably behind all along, Real Madrid were well in for it.
“The Cesc one was disappointing. It was very close. And Toni Kroos came up in January – it was done.
“A lot of players come into Manchester United and have not necessarily made the difference. But I think that, given time and having got to this period, I would have hoped I would be working with a successful team now.”