"Manchester United need a midfielder with a brain" - Paul Scholes not keen on star linked with a move to the Red Devils
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes is not too keen on the club's reported target Manuel Ugarte. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder is widely speculated to join the Red Devils, but it seems he does not have a fan in Scholes.
In the show 'The Overlap', the former Man Utd star was speaking about the club's midfield targets alongside pundit Jamie Carragher and fans. Scholes said that Erik ten Hag's side needs somebody "with a brain" to help his teammates and doesn't think Ugarte is that player.
“We need someone with a brain. A football brain just to relax everything down. Tell Bruno [Fernandes] to keep the ball for five minutes, please,” Scholes said.
'Manchester United needs Gundogan' - Scholes
The 20-time English champions have significantly strengthened in defense this window with the signings of Frenchman Leny Yoro, Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, and Moroccan Noussair Mazraoui. In the attack, they signed Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna to support Rasmus Hojlund.
In midfield, however, Manchester United are yet to make a signing. Casemiro, Mason Mount, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo remain their senior midfielders. However, none of them have the skillset that Manchester City's new signing has.
“Gundogan. I know it’s not going to happen but I think he’s the type of player Man United need," admitted Scholes.
"A Zubimendi… or I’m going to say Gundogan. A controlling midfield player just to take the sting out of play. Gundogan is perfect for that," he added.
Scholes fears that Ugarte does not have the technicality that the club requires and that he would be just a small upgrade on Sofyan Amrabat.
“I have not seen too much of Ugarte, I saw him a couple of times last year. I’m not sure technically if he’s good enough," said Scholes. "He seems to be a bit more of an Amrabat. Maybe a little bit better.”
“We don’t need someone to go in and win tackles we need someone to come in and control a game of football so it is not up and down every two minutes," highlighted the former Manchester United midfielder.
Despite Scholes' scepticism, it seems like Ugarte is close to signing for Manchester United. In an interview with The Guardian, manager Ten Hag accepted that the club is working hard to complete the squad and they would talk about the Uruguayan when they have any news on the transfer.