Former Manchester United defender Gordon McQueen says Louis van Gaal should shop in the Premier League for a new centre-half. McQueen believes Stoke City's former United junior Ryan Shawcross and Swansea City's Ashley Williams should be considered.
"United's young defenders need a consistent steadying hand next to them. Someone who will be there all the time and who has a background in the league," McQueen told the Manchester Evening News.
"They are going to grow into the job but they need assistance while they are learning at this level. They could do with someone who has been there and done it and knows the league.
"Ryan Shawcross and Ashley Williams fit the bill. They are reliable and you can always call on them. They are consistent. I saw Gareth Southgate at Middlesbrough a lot and week in, week out you could count on Gareth. He was always available and was always consistent with his form.
"Someone along those lines would be ideal. They are hard to come by but they are still out there.
"When I came down from Scotland to Leeds (in 1972 as a 20-year-old) I had Norman Hunter alongside me. He was a great steadying influence for me at Elland Road.
"When I moved to United (in 1978), even though I was then a Scottish international and a lot more experienced, it was still a massive help for me to have Martin Buchan next to me in defence.
"Players of that ilk are what is needed by United's younger players to help them along. They would benefit from it. You need someone you can hang your hat on every week. The Reds haven't really got that at the moment since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic left."
