Former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has heavily criticised the club’s current crop of players, questioning their “character” and calling for several sales in the upcoming transfer windows.

The Serbian centre-back was famously uncompromising on the pitch and hasn’t pulled any punches with his blunt appraisal of United’s underperforming squad. Vidic spent the vast majority of his eight-and-a-half years at Old Trafford working under the legendary tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson before leaving after David Moyes’ failed spell as the Scot’s first successor.

Erik ten Hag was the club’s fifth permanent manager post-Ferguson and managed to win two trophies before was sacked at the end of October. While Vidic didn’t launch an impassioned defence of the Dutch coach, he did turn the spotlight on Ten Hag’s players.

“We are all expecting more from them,” Vidic told Sky Sports during November’s international break.

“Even now we have some fantastic players,” the five-time Premier League champion admitted, before adding: “I think my question is more about the characters, the resilience, being ready to compete, to give extra and compete week in week out.

“I remember when I was playing for Man Utd. Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans – I was thinking they were all coming to take my place. I was scared I was going to lose my place. And that’s normal. If I’m not performing well, they will bring in a new guy. No-one had to tell me that.

“So a job needs to be done in the next few transfer windows. Not just players they are going to bring in, I think some players definitely have to try and find new teams.”

Vidic conceded that his familiarity with incoming manager Ruben Amorim is limited, but praised his “winning mentality”. That intangible quality is what the Premier League icon is looking for in United’s current squad. “Sometimes you don’t need the best player in the world to play for your club, but you need the right character,” Vidic explained.

“If you want to play for the big clubs, competing for the trophies, you have to be consistent. And that’s not just down to quality, it’s down to mentality. That’s the key for me.”

READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP