"The club is rotten from the bottom up" - Manchester United legend claims even Sir Alex Ferguson can't help fix former club immediately

Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has hit out at the state of the club, arguing that not even Sir Alex Ferguson can redeem the club. The Red Devils have gone through a turbulent few years, failing to win the Premier League since Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

A product of the youth system at Manchester United, Butt spoke with FourFourTwo about the situation of the club, pointing out that the rot extends beyond the coach's desk. He stated that the choice of coach does not matter at present, as all of Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, and Jürgen Klopp would struggle with the state of the club. He predicted that it would take between five and eight years for the club to challenge for the Premier League again.

"For me, it’s fundamentally that the club is rotten from the bottom up at the minute. If you brought prime Sir Alex Ferguson back in, he wouldn’t be able to turn it around straight away, it would still take time. If you put Pep Guardiola in there, or Jurgen Klopp, it wouldn’t work either. Ultimately, I think the players we’re buying and the players that we’re able to buy aren’t at the level we used to have, so it’s about accepting the fact that it’s going to take five to eight years in order to get the club back to anywhere near winning the Premier League. It’s been a sh*tshow", he said (via GOAL).

Butt was a member of the famed Class of '92 alongside the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, and Gary Neville. He played over 300 times for Manchester United before leaving the club for Newcastle United in 2004.

Manchester United are currently sat in sixth place in the Premier League, three points outside of the top four after an improved run of form. They finished a dismal 15th place in the 2024-25 season, recording their lowest-ever finish in Premier League history.

Turkish giants plotting move for Manchester United ace: Reports

Turkish outfit Galatasaray are eyeing a move to sign Manchester United man Manuel Ugarte in the January transfer window, as per reports. The Uruguay international has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford and has had a bit-part role in Ruben Amorim's side this season.

A report from Turkiye has revealed (via Football365) that Galatasaray have made initial contact with a view to signing Ugarte. They have proposed a loan move in January which will then be converted to a permanent switch for around €25 million in the summer.

Manuel Ugarte has started only four times in the league this season, with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes often preferred in the middle of the park. With the FIFA World Cup on the horizon, he will be looking to play more often, and could opt for a move away from Old Trafford.