LONDON • Pundit Alan Hansen's infamous assertion that "you can't win anything with kids" came back to haunt him when Manchester United won the Premier League title in 1995, but Arsene Wenger does not believe their current squad can pull off a similar feat.
The Red Devils have not lifted the trophy since the 2012-13 season - Alex Ferguson's final year in charge - and while the former Arsenal manager says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's players are talented, he does not feel they are "mature enough to carry the team" and pose a serious threat to front-runners Liverpool and champions Manchester City.
On the United first-team squad, with young players like Scott McTominay, 22, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Daniel James, both 21, being given prominent roles this term, Wenger told beIN Sports: "When you see United, they are one of the examples where there's a potential, but they have not found a collective way.
"You feel there is something coming, but it's not ready. When you watch them play, they are not a candidate to fight for the championship.
"Will they emulate what (Ryan) Giggs, (Paul) Scholes and (David) Beckham did over a number of years? I'm not convinced."
The Frenchman, though, is set to appear less frequently on TV as a pundit, with the New York Times reporting that he has agreed to become Fifa's technical head.
Since leaving the Gunners after 22 seasons in May last year, he has been a regular analyst for various TV broadcasters, despite his stated willingness to coach again.
But football's governing body has been looking to add a recognised figure to its senior ranks since the departures of the two high-profile former players recruited by president Gianni Infantino.
Former technical director Marco van Basten left last October, while Zvonimir Boban quit as Fifa's deputy secretary-general in June to take up a senior management position at Serie A club AC Milan.
In his new role, Wenger will reportedly become the public face of Fifa when it comes to coaching education. The 69-year-old will also have a broad portfolio to suggest improvements to coaching standards across the world.
As recently as last week, Wenger told beIN Sports that he "still cannot live today with the fact that I will never be on the bench again".
While a spokesman for Fifa declined to comment on his appointment, an official announcement of Wenger's hiring could be made in the next few days.
NYTIMES, REUTERS
