• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Paul Scholes slams second Man Utd signing as Erik ten Hag's transfer strategy picked apart

Home> Football> Football News> Man Utd

Updated 17:46 2 Oct 2024 GMT+1Published 17:38 2 Oct 2024 GMT+1

Paul Scholes slams second Man Utd signing as Erik ten Hag's transfer strategy picked apart

The former Manchester United man is not happy with Erik ten Hag's latest signings.

Luke Davies

Luke Davies

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has criticised another new signing while questioning the club's transfer business over the summer.

The former United midfielder recently appeared on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, and it's safe to say he is not best pleased with his former side's recruitment policy or their recent performances.

Scholes, who has 11 Premier League trophies to his name, left United in 2013 after securing his final title following a shock return from his previous retirement in 2011.

Similar to several of his former teammates, he is involved with League One side Salford City. Since hanging up his boots, he also tried to turn his hand to management with Oldham Athletic in March 2019 but lasted a mere 31 days in charge.

Despite this, he has not been shy in his assessment of United's recruitment policy, following a summer spend of over £175m on Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro.

Advert

He addressed the issue of transfers on The Overlap, saying: "Coaches are control freaks, they want to do everything. If you were [assistant coach] Ruud [van Nistelrooy] watching that, he is maybe thinking, 'I will take a back seat, I don't want to get involved in that.'"

Van Nistelrooy is thought to be the dressing room's preferred choice of manager if Ten Hag was to depart Old Trafford and Scholes believes the Dutch striker wouldn't have signed Zirkzee if it was up to him.

"He also has to be involved in the recruitment side of it, signing a centre forward. Or two centre forwards. 'Ruud, who do you think?' I am not sure he would have picked Zirkzee," added Scholes.

"I am not sure he would have picked [Rasmus] Hojlund. Look, there is probably not a plethora of centre forwards out there, but you would go consult him, wouldn't you?"

Advert

Zirkzee has netted just once, against Fulham, since his arrival from Bologna with fans viewing him as more of a creative player than the goalscoring centre forward they expected.

Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee signed last summer (Credit:Getty)
Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee signed last summer (Credit:Getty)

Earlier this season, Scholes also criticised defender De Ligt, saying: "When you bring players in, you expect them to be a lot better than who you’ve already got.

"I don't see players coming in who are a big difference. De Ligt has come in for [Harry] Maguire, let's say, but there's no big difference there."

Advert

De Ligt will no doubt be hoping to improve his fortunes. Historically, he has won silverware everywhere he's played, with Eredivisie, Serie A and Bundesliga titles in his trophy cabinet.

But at United, his start has not been as expected and the Dutchman already finds himself under pressure weeks into his Old Trafford career.

Featured Image Credit: Getty & Sky Bet/The Overlap

Topics: Erik Ten Hag, Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United, Paul Scholes, Football, Premier League

Luke Davies
Luke Davies

Journalist with expertise covering football - both in England and abroad - as well as combat sports.

X

@lukedaviesmedia

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
5 hours ago
6 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Erik ten Hag suffers humiliating defeat in first Bayer Leverkusen game and everyone is saying the same thing

    Erik ten Hag got off to the worst possible start at Bayer Leverkusen when they faced Flamengo's Under 20 side in Rio de Janeiro.

    Football
  • 4 hours ago

    Arsenal accidentally leak new signing that nobody knew about after announcing Noni Madueke

    Arsenal announced the signing of Noni Madueke but accidentally leaked another addition to Mikel Arteta's squad.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Alexander Isak gives 'green light' for staggering transfer as agent 'begins talks' with shock club

    Alexander Isak's agent is in talks over a shock move away from Newcastle United.

    Football
  • 6 hours ago

    Manchester City plotting shock move for England star as Fabrizio Romano drops bombshell on transfer

    Word on Manchester City's potential sixth signing of the summer has emerged courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.

    Football
  • Man Utd players have already made it clear 'who they want to replace Erik ten Hag' if he is sacked
  • Man Utd dressing room verdict on Erik ten Hag's future emerges and it speaks volumes
  • Paul Scholes delivers one of the most scathing assessments of Erik ten Hag yet as doubts remain over his Man Utd future
  • Erik ten Hag's ex-coach aims shock dig at Man Utd manager and all but two players in his squad