Manchester United, the legendary football club, has recently come under fire from one of its own. Paul Scholes, a celebrated figure in the club's history, has expressed his concerns over the team's summer transfer strategy and their ability to adapt to manager Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system.
The Old Trafford side is currently experiencing its worst start to a league season since 1992-93. With only four points from their first four games, fans and critics alike are questioning the team’s performance and future prospects.
Despite this shaky start, senior officials at Manchester United remain supportive of Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim. Even after last month’s unexpected Carabao Cup exit at League Two club Grimsby and a recent 3-0 derby defeat by Manchester City on Sunday, they continue to believe that Amorim is capable of restoring the club’s fortunes.
Questionable summer transfer strategy
Scholes' main concern lies with what he perceives as a flawed transfer strategy. Over the summer period, United spent £200m on forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko following an internal analysis which concluded that investing in forward positions would yield greater improvement for the team.
However, despite this significant investment in offensive powerhouses so far they have only scored four Premier League goals - two of which were own goals. This lacklustre performance raises questions about whether focusing on forwards was indeed beneficial or if it was an ill-advised decision that failed to address other areas needing improvement within the squad.
Deep-rooted issues
Scholes fears that these issues are not superficial but rather deeply ingrained within the club's current structure and policies. He suggests that these problems will not be easily solved or quickly rectified without significant changes being made.
Paul Scholes, Manchester United legend, said:
"I don't think the quality is there. Whatever two out of the four or five they have got in [midfield] - Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], [Kobbie] Mainoo - whatever combination he seems to try doesn't seem to work. That's a big issue. I thought all summer the absolute priority was a centre midfield player with legs, who can play and can control a game.
"Goalkeeper was [also] a major issue. Did they really need to get to the Grimsby game to realise [Andre] Onana is not good enough?. If Manchester United were not in the market for Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available, that is criminal offence. The recruitment side went to buy forwards. That did need addressing, but did it need three of them? I'm not sure it did."
The former Manchester United player's criticism adds to the growing external unease around Amorim and the club's current state. However, senior officials remain steadfast in their support for Amorim, preferring to focus on the long-term picture rather than being swayed by current results.
While it remains to be seen whether Scholes' concerns will be addressed or if Manchester United's strategy will pay off in the long run, one thing is clear: all eyes are on Old Trafford as fans and critics alike wait to see how this season unfolds. Whether they can turn their fortunes around under Amorim’s leadership and with their new forward line-up is a question that only time will answer.
