Paul Scholes has labelled Gareth Bale as the type of 'special player' Manchester United need to follow in Liverpool's footsteps and reach the Champions League final.
Bale came off the bench to score two goals, including an incredible bicycle kick, to help Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 to lift their 13th European Cup on Saturday night.
The Welshman cast doubt over his own future at Madrid following the club's third successive Champions League triumph, admitting he needs to be 'playing week in, week out'.
Before Bale broke Liverpool's hearts Scholes, who won the Champions League twice in 1999 and 2008, conceded United 'will have to improve a lot to get to anywhere near a Champions League final'.
'If he [Jose Mourinho] can change something through the summer, buy new players and he can find a way of playing that maybe is a little bit more entertaining then who knows, you don't know,' Scholes said, speaking at an official UEFA Champions League final viewing party at London's Sky Garden.
'A lot can happen over the summer. Let's hope we can get close again.
'We need some good attacking players. I think the nucleus of the squad is quite good, there's some really good young attacking players.
'I think he possibly needs a bit of help with [Romelu] Lukaku. He seems like the only out-and-out centre-forward he's got.
'It's hard to know what's available, would Gareth Bale be available? People like Neymar will they be available? I don't know. These are the type of special players that I think United need.'
Scholes admitted that losing to Sevilla in the round of 16 of the competition 'the way they did' this season was a 'big disappointment'.
He added: 'They'll have to improve massively to get anywhere near a final I think with the amount of top teams that are in the competition now, they don't look anywhere close to that at the minute.'
UEFA celebrated the global reach of the Champions League final by hosting three official viewing parties in London, Rio and Shanghai. For further information: search @championsleague or #UCLParty
TonyV25
46
Yes we need Bale but also some changes in other positions like LB and CB A pair of Young full backs are required If Fosu Mensah is trusted by Mourinho then a RB is not required We need a CB too as Jones and Smalling are very poor at times Above all the team need some consistency and Mourinho also need to look for more attacking football
likewise
35
Didn't we say the same thing about Sanchez, Pogba and Lukaku? Bale turns 29 before the season begins and as M.Samuel rightly writes, is injury prone, having missed 40 out of R.Madrid's last 60 games. Those injuries have taken their toll and, as a result, he has lost the explosive pace he once had. The stunning goal he scored last night cannot be repeated week in week out. Those spectacular moments are very rare. Bale in his prime would have been a fantastic addition and it is no secret the club tried to sign him, only to be rejected for R.Madrid. His best years are unfortunately behind him. We do need special players but more importantly, we need a special manager, not a washed out, miserable, mercenary, hotel dweller.