Former Manchester United star keeper Peter Schmeichel has urged the team not to make a marquee signing unless it improves the squad. "I would never bring in a player to make a statement," said the man who captained United to their 1999 Champions League final triumph.

"Maybe with a new manager and a new chief executive they feel a need to tell the fans Manchester United still have the power and money and can still sign the players.

"That is important because there are a lot of fans out there who are unsure about how financially strong Manchester United are and how committed the owners are to spend the money that is being created by the club.

"But the players have to be an improvement.

"If they are not of the right calibre you stay away from it. You don't sign a player for the sake of it."