Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has raised eyebrows with his candid take on the club’s recent transfer dealings, insisting that Old Trafford has not learned from past mistakes.
The former midfielder expressed confusion over the decision to sell Rasmus Hojlund and bring in Benjamin Sesko, calling the move “exactly the same” misstep the club made just two years ago.
Hojlund’s Exit and Sesko’s Arrival
Hojlund, signed from Atalanta in 2023, scored 26 goals in 95 appearances for United.
He has since revived his form on loan at Napoli, netting four goals in six games under Antonio Conte.
Sesko, meanwhile, was purchased from RB Leipzig for £73.7 million last summer and has made a promising start.
Yet Scholes questioned the logic behind the transfers, arguing that United is again relying heavily on young talent without sufficient experience or squad depth in attack.
“Where’s the Common Sense?”
“You look at Rasmus Hojlund, 22-year-old kid, came when he was 20,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.
“One centre-forward for Manchester United and everything was on him — the pressure was enormous.
He should have been rotated, with three or four options in the squad.
This summer, they let him go and buy another one, very similar, also 22. He’s started okay, improving, but where’s the common sense in that?”
Scholes compared this to his own early days at Old Trafford, recalling how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was gradually introduced in 1996, with experienced forwards like Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham, and Dwight Yorke providing cover.
“It’s like Ole coming over at 22 with no other centre-forwards — you’d kill him under that pressure!” he said.
Class of ’92 Lessons Ignored
In conversation with Nicky Butt and Paddy McGuinness, Scholes lamented the lack of senior players around today’s youngsters, highlighting the contrast with the famed Class of ’92 era.
Butt added, “When we played, we weren’t expected to carry the team every week.
You had players like Roy Keane, Bryan Robson, Brian McClair around you.
Even if you had a 6 out of 10 performance, the team would still win. These kids don’t have that support. I do feel sorry for them.”
Summer Overhaul Under Scrutiny
Scholes’ remarks come amid scrutiny of United’s summer changes.
The club parted ways with Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Antony, while adding Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha.
Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim has praised Sesko’s early performances, calling him “a different type of profile inside the box” and someone who can strengthen his connection with teammates.
Next Challenge: Liverpool
Manchester United’s next test comes away at Liverpool after the international break.
Amorim will be hoping that Sesko can continue to justify the club’s substantial investment and prove that the gamble on youth can pay off — even under the intense spotlight of the Premier League.