Graeme Souness outlines Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first task at Manchester United and slams four players

Graeme Souness says Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s priority at Manchester United is to get recruitment right.

The INEOS chief is set to assume sporting control of the club when his £1.3billion investment in 25 per cent of the club goes through as expected. Souness said he met Ratcliffe four years ago when he had earmarked an interest in Chelsea.

He was left impressed by the businessman, who turned 71 on Wednesday, but told him not to buy a football club if he wanted to stay out of the headlines. Ratcliffe is now splashed all over the back pages amid his bid for United but had indicated last month that he was determined not to walk away from the takeover process empty-handed.

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Souness says the Glazers have messed up when it comes to recruitment in the years after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and admitted he hasn’t been convinced by several signings made by Erik ten Hag.

“They [United] are one of, if not the biggest club in the world. Yet, they have a modest group of players,” the Scot told the Daily Mail. “Because of that, there is one area Ratcliffe must address with urgency. Recruitment.

“This is the most important thing you have to get right at any club. Man United, since Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill left in 2013, have given a masterclass in how not to do it, and they’ve spent over £1billion in the process.”

He added: “Consider this — if you put every Man United player on the transfer market, would they get their money back on any of them? I don’t think so. We need a strong Man United in the Premier League, but there is no overnight fix…

“I’m sorry, but the