Bryan Robson has hailed Manchester United's ambition in the transfer market since the appointment of Jose Mourinho after the club announced they had completed the signing of Paul Pogba from Juventus in a world record transfer.
Robson - a former captain and a then-record United signing himself in 1981 - said the ambition shown makes United an intriguing project for players like Pogba, even without Champions League football on offer this season.
"Many players will still sign because they will see the ambition of the club and where we want to be again," he told United's official website.
"It is a great signing and the good thing about Paul [Pogba] as well is he knows everything about the club, what the standards are and it will just show everybody in the world we are wanting to compete with the Real Madrid's and Bayern Munich's of this world.
"The type of signings we've made this summer show we want to get back there."
Pogba joins Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly as off-season additions alongside new manager Mourinho, and Robson has endorsed the Portuguese boss' big-name policy.
"You have got to go out and buy the best players if you want to compete with the top teams. It's why we're having a real go this summer and are supporting Jose Mourinho in the market. That's great to see," he said.
"We've always been classed as the best club in the world, up there competing with the top teams, and it is what Manchester United are all about.
"We've got to be up there challenging the best teams, especially considering our standing around the world as we are probably the most famous club. We have got to set those standards and stay there."
And Robson says Pogba is exactly the sort of player to keep standards high at United, claiming the Frenchman could one day be a Ballon d'Or winner.
"It is achievable. He's got the presence and has got the ability," he said.
"We just hope his team members give him that mantle where he can go on and prove himself as one of the best footballers in the world."
