Harry Redknapp has insisted that Jose Mourinho will face a "massive task" rebuilding Manchester United should he take over from Louis van Gaal.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss suggested earlier this week that a deal is in place to take the Portuguese to Old Trafford at the end of the current campaign.
It has been a difficult second season at United for Van Gaal, who has seen his side largely struggle for form throughout the campaign to drift well out of Premier League title contention.
Redknapp believes that Van Gaal is simply keeping the seat warm for Mourinho, and claims that serious questions must be asked of recent big-money spending at the club since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.
"It seems to be a case of simply delaying the inevitable for Van Gaal," he told The Telegraph. "Mourinho will have a massive task on his hands if, as expected, he does succeed the Dutchman as manager. They have spent over £300 million under David Moyes and Van Gaal but are nowhere near where they want to be.
"They are way off it, no more than a fourth or fifth-placed team in the Premier League. Whether it was the manager, or head of recruitment, who signed all these players, somebody has to put their head above the parapet and admit to it. If you worked in a company and spent millions making bad decisions you'd get the sack, so why should it be any different for football?
"Mourinho will need to tear it up and start again because there is no evidence of a team there any more. They are miles away from Manchester City, who have five or six fantastic players, and will probably add another three or four more when Pep Guardiola comes in over the summer."
United turn their attention to FA Cup commitments on Monday evening, with a trip to face Shrewsbury Town in round five of the competition.
