Richard Keys left his beIN Sports colleagues flabbergasted with his farfetched “five-year plan” for Manchester United.
The presenter, 66, boldly put forward what he would do if he was handed the reins at Old Trafford in light of their decade-long decline. Keys stated he would first part ways with current Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag in favour of Xabi Alonso, whose revolution at Bayer Leverkusen currently sees them sitting top of the Bundesliga.
Keys went on to say he would throw “Saudi league money” at Alonso, who is tipped to join one of Europe’s elite clubs in the next few years, in an effort to convince him to join the seventh placed side. But the other panellists did not quite take to his audacious plan of bringing in the Spaniard, which involved handing him a five-year contract.
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Keys said: "United are no longer in the position where if top players become available they're going to sign for United – they're just not. They can't go out and do what they once did, which is sign everyone else's best player just because it weakened the opposition and they could maybe put them in amongst a squad of 22 for a while and hope perhaps they had something to contribute.
"In my view, Manchester United should go now to Leverkusen and should say to Xabi Alonso: 'we want you to come to Old Trafford, we will give you Saudi league money, and we will guarantee you five years' – which Fergie had when he first went to Manchester United. Whatever else happens, you've got five years to sort this out for us.
Keys added: "He, for me, is the individual, the coach, the person that just might be able to get something going.”
What do you think of Keys' five-year plan? Let us know in the comments section below
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But pundit Jason McAteer disagreed, interjecting with "no chance" while Keys made his argument and insisting "he won't go there".
McAteer followed it up by saying: “I think he'd have aspirations of Real Madrid, Liverpool. I think Manchester United right now is not a job for him.
"He doesn't need that stress. I think he'd rather the Chelsea job than Manchester United – I think that would be more suitable for Xabi Alonso. Honestly, Manchester United is a mess from top to bottom. Not a chance [he takes it]."
United legend Dwight Yorke stared blankly at Keys before saying: "I'm just trying to get my head around… where is that all coming from? [Alonso is the next best thing] based on what?!"
Alonso guided Leverkusen out of relegation trouble and into European qualification in his first season in charge. This term, he has challenged giants Bayern Munich by going 13 games unbeaten.
Meanwhile, United have shown no signs of improvement in Ten Hag’s second season, having performed dismally in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle on Saturday and being on the verge of a Champions League group stage exit.
Their last league title came at the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge in the 2012/13 season. Since then, unsuccessful managers, off-field drama and baffling transfers have the club.
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