Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has dropped his prediction for how long it will take Manchester United to challenge for the Premier League title after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s remarks.
Manchester United have struggled to return to the top of English football after legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson bowed out of Old Trafford in 2013.
Ferguson led United to their last Premier League title in the 2012-13 season, with the Scotsman subsequently retiring as a manager after his 26-year reign at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have won silverware in the aftermath of Ferguson’s departure, but United fans have been desperate to see the club challenge for the title again.
United’s best position in the league table since 2013 has been second, which Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho both achieved during their respective spells at Old Trafford.
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Souness reacts to Ratcliffe’s ‘three-year plan’
Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe secured his minority stake purchase in Manchester United and has taken control of football operations at Old Trafford.
Both the Football Association and the Premier League have ratified Ratcliffe’s stake purchase in United, with the British billionaire keen to restore the club’s prestige.
Ratcliffe insisted that he wants to “knock both” Liverpool and Manchester City “off their perch,” but he added that immediate success would not happen at United.
“The fans would run out of patience if it was a 10-year plan,” he said.
“But it’s certainly a three-year plan to get there.”
Speaking in his column for The Daily Mail, Graeme Souness believes Ratcliffe’s ambitions to build a new stadium for United is his “easiest” challenge at the Premier League club.
However, the Liverpool legend added that building a football team capable of challenging both City and the Reds is “something else.”
“There was some great chest-thumping from Sir Jim Ratcliffe this week about what Manchester United need to do to knock rivals off their perch, and let me say, out of all the challenges he outlined, building a new stadium will be the easiest one,” Souness wrote.
“If you have the money that will be simple, but building a football team is something else.
“Ratcliffe said they would need a three-year plan. But, you see, when you apply logic to football is when you come unstuck.”
Souness’ prediction for Man Utd’s return to the top
Souness disagreed with Ratcliffe’s three-year plan for United and believes it will take longer for the Red Devils to return to the top of English football.
The former Sky Sports pundit argued that United are “three to five years” behind Liverpool and City and “two to three years” behind Arsenal.
“My assessment is United are three to five years behind Liverpool and Manchester City, two to three years behind Arsenal and of similar level to Tottenham,” Souness continued.
“Three years means six transfer windows and in that period you have to get into the Champions League.”
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