Former Manchester United boss David Moyes has lifted the lid on how the transfer market is handled by the club.
Moyes says the key figures in recruitment at Old Trafford are the manager, Jose Mourinho, vice-chairman Ed Woodward and chief scout Jim Lawlor.
“No, I didn't need to go to a panel [to approve a signing]," Moyes told Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme.
“It tended to be myself, the chief scout and I'd speak with Ed Woodward.
“The scouts were especially the ones who were important, so that was how it worked."
Moyes believes Woodward and Mourinho are on good terms, and says their accord is fundamental to the success of the club.
“I think Ed Woodward and Jose do have a good relationship," he said.
“But I think it's really important that you do have a good chief executive.
“I think all the managers need to work closely with their chief executive because you are signing more players than maybe was done in the past and you're having to be on it quickly.
"You're probably having to make signings now whereas I can think back to the years when I signed players after going to watch them half a dozen times.
“I'm not sure you can do it quite as much now. You have a lot of analysts whom you are using to do it.
“I think you need the trust and you need a good relationship with the chief executive to make sure you can carry things out quicker than maybe you would like or even the age of players nowadays where you can't always get them at 24-year-old, you might need to take one at 29 or 30."