Former Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed the two world class players he missed out on during his ill fated tenure at Old Trafford.

With United languishing outside the top four, Moyes was sacked before the 2013/14 season was over. Current United boss Jose Mourinho claimed that the club ‘failed to evolve’ in three years following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. But Moyes responded to the comments by insisting that there was always going to be a transitional period after Sir Alex left the club.

“Jose has his opinion, but there was always going to be a ­transitional period after Sir Alex’s time was over,” he said.

“There was a changing of the guard. Not only did I replace Alex, David Gill had also stepped down as chief executive and Ed Woodward came in.

“So it was always going to take time. Yes, I took over the champions, but clubs like Chelsea and Man City spent huge amounts of that money that summer in a bid to overtake us.”

Moyes spent £65 million on Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata during his time in Manchester, the latter joining in the January transfer window.

“And it was difficult for me to go into Old Trafford and rip up the team that had just ran away with the title,” he added.

The former Everton boss claimed that things would have turned out differently, had the club managed to bring in his two main transfer targets – Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas.

“Having said that, things would have been a lot different if we had landed our main transfer targets,” said Moyes.

“We were in for Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas. They were genuine targets, but for one ­reason or another we didn’t get them over the line.

“Getting them would have been the perfect start in terms of reshaping the squad I ­inherited. Having said that, I accept ­totally that when you are ­manager of ­Manchester United, you have to win. I didn’t win enough.

“But I don’t think there is a manager out there who would have been able to do something better or quicker in the time I was given after Sir Alex ­retired. It was all about small ­margins.”

Following his disastrous reign at Old Trafford, Moyes went on to manage Spanish club Real Sociedad where he was sacked after one year. He later joined Sunderland with the hopes of saving them from relegation. The Black Cats were relegated and Moyes resigned from his post at the end of the season.