Paul Scholes names Man Utd player he believes can become a 'top star' - and it's not an obvious choice

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes a current member of Michael Carrick’s squad can develop into a top player – and it’s not the obvious choice.

United enter the 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a spring in their step, having enjoyed a rich vein of form following Carrick’s arrival in January, with the Englishman ultimately leading the 20-time champions to a third-place top-flight finish and Champions League qualification.

United’s European commitments bring challenges of their own, with the Red Devils playing the minimum number of games – 38 in the Premier League, one in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup – last term.

This time around, United will play at least eight more matches in Europe in the league phase, even if they fail to progress to the knockout stages.

And despite already recruiting midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, Scholes believes United are still “a little bit short in midfield”, explaining that Crystal Palace playmaker Adam Wharton would be a “good signing for United” while also voicing his admiration for Spurs midfielder Sandro Tonali.

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But it is the heart of defence that Scholes believes needs addressing most, with the 11-time Premier League winner suggesting his former club should sign Spurs and Argentina centre-back Cristian Romero.

The 51-year-old admitted Romero can act like a “nutcase” at times but believes Carrick’s calmness could bring the best out of the South American, who is linked with Inter and Atletico Madrid.

“He seems like a bit of a cult hero defender, really. I know it might sound strange, but I think the fans at Old Trafford would like him,” Scholes said exclusively to SPORTbible to mark the season return of The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

'He's a really bright prospect... he could become a top centre-half' - Paul Scholes backs United youngster

Although he believes defensive reinforcements are needed to support the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire, Scholes was keen to praise 19-year-old centre-back Ayden Heaven.

“You need to have centre-halves who are reliable,” Scholes said, mentioning the fact Martinez “picks up a lot of injuries”.

“They’ve got the young lad Heaven, I think he is a really bright prospect, but he’s still going to make mistakes; he’s young.”

Heaven, who arrived from Arsenal in 2024, featured 17 times in the Premier League last term after recovering from a serious ankle injury he picked up away at Leicester in March 2025.

When further pressed on who United could build the team around in the next three or four years, Heaven’s name cropped up again, although Scholes was hesitant to suggest the teenager could be the focal point of the team despite maintaining that he “has the potential to become a top centre-half”.

Scholes’ former teammate-turned-podcast-co-host, Nicky Butt, weighed in, admitting that it’s “really hard” to pinpoint a youngster that Carrick could build the team around while explaining how the English coach needed at least three or four transfer windows before United would be able to challenge for the Premier League title.

“Kobbie [Mainoo] could be one [Carrick could build around],” Butt said.

“But obviously what’s happened last season and around the World Cup, he’s going to have to restart himself and go again at the start of the season. There’s no one other than Bruno [Fernandes]; he’s the one they’re going to have to build around.”

Mainoo barely featured under former boss Ruben Amorim before being afforded greater opportunities under Carrick’s stewardship, eventually finishing the 2025/26 campaign with 28 appearances, earning him a place in England’s World Cup squad, although he did not play a single minute at the tournament.

United get their Premier League campaign underway at newly promoted Hull City on August 22.

Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt were speaking exclusively to SPORTbible for the new season of The Good, The Bad & The Football. Watch or listen to the full episode now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.