Paul Scholes has denounced three Manchester United stars worth £145million, claiming they do not have the potential to deliver a Premier League title.
In a forensic analysis of United’s squad – who he fears could risk relegation next season – Scholes named and shamed multiple stars he deems sub-par.
The Red Devils have spent elaborately on their defence in recent seasons.
Among others, Harry Maguire arrived for £80m; Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £50m; Victor Lindelof for £30.7m; Lisandro Martinez for £55m; Matthijs De Ligt for £38.5m; and Leny Yoro for £52m.
Scholes aimed harsh words at the latter trio of Martinez, De Ligt, and Yoro in his latest attack.
‘His (De Ligt’s) age and his amount of clubs already concerns me. He was brilliant at Ajax, he seems to be getting worse as he gets older. Bayern Munich, Juventus, they’ve let him go for some reason,’ he told The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.
Matthijs De Ligt is ‘getting worse’ and Lisandro Martinez is ‘not good enough’ to win the Premier league, says Paul Scholes
Leny Yoro, 19, could still improve but has not impressed the Manchester United legend so far
‘Where are your ambitions? I’m talking about getting a team to win the Premier League. Are you going to win the Premier League with De Ligt and Yoro as your centre-halves?
‘You (a fan) said you think they’re quite good. Is quite good good enough?’
He added on Yoro: ‘Look, he’s a young player, but I haven’t liked what I’ve seen so far.
‘Did you see the Southampton game? He’s a young player, he’s one centre-half I would keep, when I talk about that spine and two centre-halves.’
On Martinez, he said: ‘Even when he’s fit he’s not good enough to win the Premier League Premier League with.’
In fairness to United, their defence has bene no shambles this season. A haul of 34 goals shipped is fewer than those of Manchester City, Tottenham, and Aston Villa.
However, it is a long way off the 21 conceded by Liverpool and the 22 by Arsenal, so clearly there is lots of room for improvement.
Yoro recently revealed on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, brought to you by Qatar Airways, that the defenders are part of a WhatsApp group where they are sent clips of forwards before matches by Amorim’s staff.
Yoro told Rio Ferdinand how the defenders are using a WhatsApp group to try to improve
Amorim’s side have a long way to go to match the best defences in the Premier League
‘Yeah, yeah, of course. It’s important. We have a group on WhatsApp,’ Yoro said. ‘With all the defenders, they send clips of the strikers, their movements, their runs.
‘And outside of that. I have one person who’s doing really a lot of clips on the striker for me to know.
‘I had already someone in Lille, so I keep working with him. [I am] especially looking where to run, for example if the defender has the ball, for a long pass.
‘Or for a cross with the first or second ball, everything is really important.’
Despite those assurances of their efforts, Scholes is convinced that the only way out of their malaise is yet more spending – despite the fact United sunk £600m down the drain under Erik ten Hag.
‘I think a new goalkeeper is needed, possibly two centre-halves, two centre midfield players, and two centre forwards,’ Scholes said.
‘Alright, I’ll go for one centre midfielders and one centre forward, but with a bit of stature, a bit of quality, and really create a spine. When you’ve got that spine right, then you can add bits to it.
‘That spine, that core, is so important. If they don’t get that right this summer, this might sound ridiculous, but the form since this manager is in, they could be looking at relegation. I’m telling you, it’s been so bad.
Paul Scholes was speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.
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