Manchester United need ‘two or three years’ to compete at the top of British football again and cannot simply throw cash at the problem, says Wayne Rooney.
The former United skipper cited Liverpool as one of the models of success which his old club must learn from.
Rooney said: ‘It is going to take time. It is going to take another two or three years, I believe. ‘They need to bring in some players, they need to get rid of some players.
‘It’s not going to happen (quickly). They’ve tried that with Louis van Gaal, with Jose Mourinho. If you look at Liverpool and what they’ve done, and Man City, you’re not going to buy a team to go and challenge with them.
‘You see with Liverpool — they’ve built that team. Pep Guardiola has gradually brought more players in at City and his way of playing. So United have to be a bit patient and try to build a team that will be able to challenge those two.
‘The Manchester United fans need to be a bit patient with what is going on.’
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile has told his players to watch out for Rooney in tonight’s FA Cup fifth round clash. Solskjaer spent three seasons with Rooney at Old Trafford and warned: ‘He’s a threat in and around the box with set-plays. Wayne will show what he can do in this game.
‘He wants to prove there is still fight in the old dog. We’ve got to be on our toes and not give him any space in midfield.’