United actually aren't a five season fix. It isn't that hard to fix this squad. For instance, next season we could realistically field this starting XI:
-------De Gea---------
AWB--Maguire--Lindelof--Williams
-----McTominay---Fernandes
Rashford---Pogba---Martial
-------Jimenez------
That's a really good starting XI and should easily be top 4 if they all stay fit throughout the season.If you want to compete with Liverpool/City you will probably need a better centre back than Lindelof and better depth (you can't have Lingard coming off the bench). We can get that starting XI by signing just two players. The problem is that the club cannot identify how to properly improve the squad. Our midfield was weak last season. Then we lose Herera (our best midfielder in 18/19) and we don't even bother replacing him!
Our defence has been 4th best in the league this season. We have conceded some late goals and De Gea has had some shockers mixed in with that. Our defence is good enough. Our attack, however, is complete shark. The problem compared with Liverpool is we don't have enough goal contributions. Fred has no goals or assists this season. Our defence has only two goals this season. Lingard has no goals/assists. Periera has one goal, three assists. Mata just has a couple of assists. Our front three does okay but the rest of them just don't contribute at all. TAA has 12 assists for god's sake! I knew we would lose against Burnley because only James and Martial can score or assist. Burnley's attack was more dangerous than ours.
Pretty optimistic but naive.
Not much chance of Pobga being there. He has said a few times he wants to leave and Ole keeps telling people that he only wants players that want to be there.
To be successful you need quality players not just a starting team. as there are over 50 games a year. That means you need class players off the bench.We would need to sell the likes of Jones, AP, Rojas,Lingard, etc etc, so would have to buy 3/4/5 plus to achieve this.
Of course we still have two players on loan in Italy we have to sell or bring back. Smalling likes it too much there so I doubt he will want to return and we probably don't want him.
That line up is good but not good enough to win the league.