Former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has questioned the club's old transfer policy of signing star names such as Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.
Both players have struggled to live up to their reputations since moving to Old Trafford, with Pogba being hampered by injury this season and Sanchez having been shipped out on loan to Inter Milan in a bid to ease the burden of his mammoth wage packet.
Van Persie himself was a big-name signing when he joined United from Arsenal, but the Dutchman believes that the Red Devils have taken too many "gambles" since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and compared their lack of success in the market to the achievements of Liverpool.
"If you compare it to Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp was appointed and players were selected who fit in with the football philosophy, not from marketing motives," Van Persie told SoFoot.
"They built the club on a coach's sporting project. At Manchester United they gamble on star names like Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez. That's one way. It is risky. If such a player gets injured or does not fit, the whole team is vulnerable.
"While having a philosophy like Liverpool and not Manchester United creates enormous collective power. The challenge for Manchester United is to see if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can successfully establish a philosophy of his own."
United have since begun to target young British players in the transfer market, with the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish understood to be on their wanted list this summer.
