Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has not held back in his criticism of the club’s summer transfer window following a heavy 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the latest Manchester derby.
The defeat left United languishing with just four points from their first four Premier League games, compounded by a shocking Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town.
Despite splashing over £200 million on new signings—including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and goalkeeper Senne Lammens—Scholes believes United’s business this summer has fallen short of expectations.
Goalkeeping Choices Under Fire
Scholes was particularly scathing about United’s approach to the goalkeeper position.
Despite spending £18.2 million on Lammens, the Belgian was benched against City, while Altay Bayindir continued in goal despite inconsistent performances.
Meanwhile, Andre Onana, who struggled against Grimsby with a string of errors, was sent out on loan to Trabzonspor.
United also missed out on Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was snapped up by City for £26 million and impressed on his derby debut. Sch
oles called this a glaring mistake.
“Goalkeeper was a major issue,” Scholes told the BBC Football Daily podcast.
It felt like they had to wait until the Grimsby game to realise Onana wasn’t good enough.
Then Donnarumma becomes available, and it feels like a no-brainer—£35m to £40m for a keeper you could have for the next ten years.”
Donnarumma and the Missed Opportunity
Donnarumma, fresh off helping PSG win their first Champions League, was deemed surplus by Luis Enrique after the arrival of Lucas Chevalier.
While United had been loosely linked with him, they prioritized Lammens instead.
Scholes didn’t hold back: “If United weren’t in the market for Donnarumma when he became available, that’s a criminal offence for me.
You could have got a man who might be the best goalkeeper in the world—he reminds me of Peter Schmeichel.”
On The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes added, “The £18.2m fee for Lammens tells you everything you need to know.
If he were top class, he’d be straight into the big games.”
Criticism Extends to Midfield
Scholes also targeted United’s midfield, which was repeatedly exposed during Sunday’s derby.
He highlighted how Manuel Ugarte struggled beside Bruno Fernandes, who has been playing out of position in a deeper role.
“All summer I thought a central midfielder with legs, someone who could control a game, would be an absolute priority,” Scholes explained.
“Instead, the recruitment went for forwards. Did we need three forwards? I’m not sure we did.”
Looking Ahead for United
United currently sit 14th in the Premier League and face a testing schedule ahead.
They host Chelsea this Saturday before matches against Brentford and Sunderland, all coming before the international break.
Scholes’ critique underlines a growing concern among fans that United’s big summer spending may not translate to immediate improvements on the pitch.