'I am preparing an approach to takeover Man Utd and these are the players I'll sign'

Thomas Zilliacus has revealed his transfer strategy as he gears up to approach backers concerning a takeover bid for Manchester United. The Finnish entrepreneur submitted an offer for the club two years ago and is currently preparing a fresh proposal.

Zilliacus and his XXI Century Capital launched a bid for United in 2023 when the Glazer family indicated they would entertain offers. He competed against the likes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim.

However, this bid arrived too late and it was Ratcliffe's Ineos that secured a nearly 30 per cent stake in the club.

Fresh speculation suggests that United could face a takeover with whispers of a bid from the UAE and "advanced negotiations" reportedly taking place. Zilliacus has confirmed he remains open to collaborating with investors and launching a fresh bid.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror he also revealed how he would manage Ruben Amorim's difficult period and what transfers would take priority, including a player who once changed hands for £125million.

He said: "I mean under Sir Jim Ratcliffe it hasn't been a roaring success. I don't think anybody could claim that. So no criticism of him. I'm sure he has done the best he can. But unfortunately, in my opinion, there have been some poor choices regarding players. The new manager, it is maybe a bit early yet to say whether he can turn the ship around.

"It's not, of course, just the manager but the squad that he has... A lot of money has been put into the club and we still haven't seen the results. I think that also reminds us of another very important thing, that this is a team."

The Finnish former Nokia chief then went on to outline which aspects of the squad he would strengthen if given any authority.

He particularly dismissed the notion of signing marquee players.

"I mean, football is at the end of the day a pretty simple game," Zilliacus continued. "It's about scoring more goals than you let in. You need to have a good attack, you need to have a good defence and in between that you need to have a good midfield.

"I think that I would honestly look at all parts of the team, I think that while there are some very good players, there is always room for improvement. But it is not about going out and buying the biggest star that is around.

"A good example, although he's already over the hill, is Neymar. Even at his peak, I would never have brought a player like Neymar to Manchester United because that's a player who expects everybody else to play for him.

"I would build a club very much on the basis of young, strong players who already have proven that they are really good top-class, but who still have a hunger to prove themselves in order to go even further.

"That should be the backbone of the team. Then you can have a few experienced guys in the gel as well. I think it's always good to have a mix because the more mature guys, the more experienced guys, they also know how to act when things don't go well."

Despite his reservations about Neymar, Zilliacus did single out one player who he believes embodies the type of character he values - Ousmane Dembele, who once commanded a £125m transfer fee from Barcelona.

"Look at PSG. Ousmane Dembele is such a perfect example," he continued. "Barcelona were pretty happy to see him go. Now he's got the Ballon d'Or and he's the star player in a team where he is allowed to play the way he should. But I also think the manager has managed to get him to understand that if he wants to be a star, he has to work. And now he's doing it."