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Manchester United have been “buying players to finish fourth” in the Premier League when they could have been signing players like Alexander Isak and Michael Olise, who definitely would have joined the club had the Red Devils made a bid to sign them.

That’s the opinion of former United striker Dwight Yorke, who has also taken issue with Erik ten Hag “buying players that only he knows” like Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Andre Onana and Matthijs de Ligt, all of whom played under the Dutchman at Ajax.

Ten Hag is under huge pressure at Old Trafford with his side sitting 13th in the Premier League and failing to pull up any trees in Europe either after two draws from their opening two Europa League games.

Asked if he thinks Ten Hag has the right to ask for more time at the club, Yorke told Prime Casino: “Whether he gets it or not, it’s a different story. £600 million is a lot of money, but we’ve seen the players, and I think we’re just buying the players to help us finish fourth.

“I don’t think we’re buying players to win the league. You’ve got to walk before you can run, but United are so far gone that the players they’re bringing in are not even starters for their national sides.

“We’re not playing to win the league, that’s gone out of our head. Investing in that type of player, you’re likely to finish fourth. There’s no aspiration at the club, because I haven’t heard United say in the last few years that they are aiming to win the league.

“If you’re not sending out that message, how would I think we’re going to win? When the top four is all I hear coming out of the club, as a player, that’s what I’m thinking is the target.

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“It’s where we are as a club, and it’s baffling just how far we’ve fallen, but the players are simply nowhere near as good as they’re making out. We’re behind the tier of the highest standard.”

Yorke is frustrated at his former side not setting their sights on top players, like Isak, who’s been brilliant for Newcastle since his £63m move from Real Sociedad two years ago, and Michael Olise, who’s hit the ground running at Bayern Munich after his £50m transfer from Crystal Palace this summer.

He added: “We’re not going for the very best players. When you’re bringing them in, what are you expecting, to win the league? Because you won’t. Ten Hag only seems to buy players that only he knows, not bought anyone surprising.

“Players like Alexander Isak at Newcastle and Michael Olise at Bayern Munich. You can’t tell me that they wouldn’t have come to Manchester United.

“You want hungry players to come in at United and take the club forward. These current signings, we don’t know them until they actually come to the club. They say, ‘Yeah, he played in the Dutch league, or Bologna,’ and I ‘m not saying they’re bad players, but are they United players?

“They’ve got away from bringing in players the traditional way. The manager’s job should be to sign players that actually improve your team, and to improve the players.”