Phil Thompson says new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is suffering from the same issues which plagued Liverpool during his time as the late Gerard Houllier 's assistant.
The Reds legend spent six years as his No.2 at Anfield and endured the struggles of trying to sign top-class players when your days of being a top-class team are long gone. Liverpool had enjoyed unprecedented success during the late 1970s and 1980s with the likes of Thompson in their side.
But like United in the modern day, the then five-time European champions were on a downward spiral when Houllier - who tragically died aged 73 in 2020 - took over in 1998 and they subsequently could not attract the level of talent which was so easy to acquire in years gone by.
Ten Hag's priority transfer deal to sign Frenkie de Jong is stalling despite a £56.1 million pound agreement being reached with Barcelona, as the midfielder, 25, is determined to remain at the Camp Nou. Putting rivalries aside, Thompson can empathise with the Dutchman over his problems that are bleeding into his pre-season plans, as he told Paddy Power: "It is tough when you're under the cosh like United are. And when it's the most difficult to get players in is when you're not at the heights that you were before.
"That's what Gerard Houlier and I were working with at the time, when we were trying to convince people to join Liverpool. Yes, you're a massive club – Liverpool and Man United are the two biggest clubs in world football – and you can spend one season or so out of the Champions League, but you're having to convince the players 'with you, we'll be back in the big-time next season'.
"But when you don't make the progress you want, and don't get back in the next year, and when you're having problems, people can see it. Players are not daft. It will get around with players, other clubs, and agents all talking about what it's like there in the dressing room. Then when you're changing of the managers as often, that doesn't sit well with people, too.
"So, Ten Hag has that massive task on his hand where he's got to convince people and bring them with him and make them believe that Manchester United are on the right track. He's also got to convince players that he's going to be there a while and that he's got a fantastic project for them that's going to get them back to where they want to be. But it's going to be really difficult."
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While Mirror Football understands that United are making progress in a deal to bring Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia to Old Trafford for £15.7m, players of a world-class calibre are much harder to come by. In an outcome which spoke volumes earlier in the summer transfer window, Liverpool comfortably beat Ten Hag's side in the race to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica. Thompson's boyhood club were not only able to stump up £64.2m, but also have the current success to entice stars of his pedigree.
Ten Hag has already hinted at the kind of players who he wants to sign this summer, declaring during his first interview with manutd.com : "I have high demands on my players. I expect them to fight and give 100 per cent. I already mentioned that only good is [not] good enough – no, not only that. We have to do better and they have to co-operate. They have to be unified, to form a team, and to battle the opponent."
