Manchester United hero Paul Scholes thinks it’ll take at least two years for the team to catch up with rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
United haven’t been in a Premier League title race since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, in 2013.
Since then, they’ve finished seventh, fourth, fifth, sixth, second and sixth, and have played under four different permanent managers – David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Scholes thinks it’ll take time for the rebuilding job at Old Trafford to be completed, and says the next two years should be written off.
“I think you almost have to write United off for the next two years,” Scholes told Sky Sports.
“This team – until Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has cleared everything he wants out – has four or five transfer windows.
“United are going to be behind Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.
“I think this is United at the minute. You have to be patient with the young players but the experienced players have to step up.
“We’ve seen over and over again how many mistakes experienced players are making. It’s difficult for young players to come into a team like that.”
Solskjaer plans to completely revolutionise the United squad, promoting the club’s academy talents and also investing in youth.
The average age of the Red Devils’ starting 11 this season has been one of the youngest in the league, after the summer’s recruitment.
United signed 21-year-olds Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £15million and £50m, respectively.
Meanwhile, Scholes criticised Solskjaer’s decision to replace Juan Mata against Southampton last weekend.
United were drawing 1-1 at St Mary’s, before the manager decided to substitute Mata for Nemanja Matic in the 68th minute.
“I am disappointed. It looked like [ending a draw] from when the moment Juan Mata went off, actually,” said Scholes.
“I was surprised because I thought if anybody is going to create something it’s Juan Mata.”