Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness admitted he is baffled by Manchester United hiring Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.

Rangnick was confirmed by United until the end of the season, which will then be followed by two years in a consultancy role.

It follows the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a disastrous run of results that sees United well out of the Premier League title race.

And Souness admitted he did not get why Rangnick was coming into Old Trafford.

“This is the third interim manager since Fergie went. I don’t get it,” Souness told talkSPORT.

“The man Rangnick’s CV is not one you would go ‘wow’ and doesn’t jump out at you. He’s not been super successful. I think he’s won one trophy.

“His talent would appear, and we will find out, to go into a football club and develop the structure and improve in a five to ten year period.

“That’s not what Man United need right now. Man United need it instantly. They need someone to make an impact now.

“They’ve got a healthy group of players there and, there’s no doubt about it, Ole didn’t get the best out of that group of players.

“That’s what you are judged on. You walk into a football club, get the best out of the players and then if you are there long enough you can bring your own ones in to kick on.

“Right now, Manchester United have an underperforming squad of players. 

“Will this new guy, who has never been in the Premier League be able to do that? I don’t think so.

“I don’t get this appointment on any level. If you are thinking about five or ten years time and the structures he might put in place [okay], [but it’s] six months and then he’s going to take a nice consultancy role. A nice pension for him, 63 years old, it’s lovely work if you can get it.

“I just don’t get this appointment.”