Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has explained why Manchester United did not sign Liverpool star Cody Gakpo.

Manchester United made several major mistakes during the Erik ten Hag era, which left the club in a dire financial situation and short on the pitch.

McCarthy spent two seasons at the club between 2022 and 202,4, and it was at that time that they signed Antony, Casemiro, Wout Weghorst, and other players.

The Red Devils finished 15th in the Premier League last season, suffering 18 defeats, marking their worst season in 51 years. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

They started the off-season by signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and have not welcomed anyone else.

The transfer window is still open, so they could still sign more players. They have been strongly linked with Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo, but a deal hasn't materialised.

Their coach, Ruben Amorim, said they'll try and sign a few big players to try and improve the team.

"We need a lot to catch them and they will improve again next season,” he said via the Athletic. “I just want to focus on our strengths and bring one or two players, big players."

“We need to focus, we are doing all the stuff to be next season so much better. In my idea, I cannot manage this thing of ‘in four years we will try something’. We need to be so much better. This is a massive club.”

Benni McCarthy recently opened up about why Man United's pursuit of Gakpo failed. He revealed that he wanted Gakpo and Marcus Rashford to play together.

However, his quest to bring the Dutchman to Old Trafford was not successful.

"I watched the player, I made my case for why he would be ideal," he said via the Mirror. “Then I was told the scouting department had watched him numerous times and they didn’t rate him. They said the stats weren’t right. For me, with my experience, I know what you need to deliver at a special club."

“You don’t need stats to tell you that...Obviously the club have a system, and the system won, so he joined Liverpool and won the league.”

Gakpo joined Liverpool in January 2023 and won the league last season. He registered 18 goals and seven assists in the title-winning season.

The Portuguese coach endured a difficult first six months, suffering 17 defeats and facing significant pressure at times.

As the new season approaches, he will be under intense pressure to secure positive results, starting with the opening match against Arsenal.

The team faces a tough start to the season, with challenging fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester in their first five games. His 3-4-2-1 formation has not worked so far.

However, pundits and fans believe it can work with the right personnel.

Earlier, reported that Benni McCarthy explained why the Red Devils didn't sign Harry Kane.

The South African said he was the club's main target in 2023, but they couldn't afford him, and they didn't want to pay a big fee.

The club signed Rasmus Hojlund instead, but the Dane has struggled to provide the goals.

Source: TUKO.co.ke