Danny Murphy has urged Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to break the bank to sign Harry Kane, Jadon Sancho and Declan Rice if they are to compete with both Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 10 matches in all competitions, including an important 2-0 victory against rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Murphy has been impressed with the United boss but still feels that they are three top-quality additions short of a squad capable of closing the gap on their rivals.
"It's going to be a crucial summer for Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has impressed me in the manner he's steadied a rocky ship, now the club need to take a forward step to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City," Murphy said.
"That doesn't mean a radical overhaul because they already have good players at Old Trafford. Three top-quality signings in key positions could make all the difference moving them to the next level.
"Imagine if Harry Kane, Jadon Sancho and Declan Rice were at United? They'd be in good shape to compete for any trophy."
Manchester United's quest for the top four will be further tested when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League next Sunday.