Paul Scholes admitted that Manchester United and Erik ten Hag could have to wait “another 12 months” to see the true potential of one signing at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag inked a new contract extension in the summer ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League season, despite the Red Devils’ poor 2023-24 campaign.
Manchester United suffered their worst Premier League finish last season after coming eighth, but Ten Hag did lead the Red Devils to the FA Cup trophy.
Ten Hag saw his first-team squad significantly reinforced in the first summer window under the Ineos team after Sir Jim Ratcliffe became United co-owner in 2023.
The 54-year-old Dutchman was reunited with Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt after United signed the former Ajax duo from Bayern Munich in August.
French defender Leny Yoro also arrived from Lille in July, while Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee was signed from Serie A side Bologna in the same month.
United capped off a busy summer transfer window, which saw the departure of several players, with the signing of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain.
Scholes on two Man Utd stars
Despite the additional talent added to the Manchester United squad, Erik ten Hag has endured a tough start to the 2024-25 Premier League season.
The United manager is under significant pressure over the Red Devils’ lacklustre form, with Ten Hag’s side only winning two of their first six league matches.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Paul Scholes remained critical of United’s recruitment and questioned the talent that has been brought through the Old Trafford doors.
The United legend pointed to the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, who has only scored once for the Red Devils in nine matches this season, and his lack of reputation.
Scholes did praise the “potential” of Rasmus Hojlund in his debut season after United signed him from Serie A side Atalanta in a £72m deal in 2023.
However, Hojlund missed the opening weeks of United’s 2024-25 season due to an injury he picked up in the pre-season tour defeat to Arsenal in the United States.
Scholes admitted that the 21-year-old Denmark striker “could take another 12 months” to show his true potential after returning from his latest injury setback.
“The manager makes recruitment difficult because we don’t know how they want to play,” he said.
“Recruiting players for a style of play you know nothing about becomes virtually impossible.
“They had [Rasmus] Hojlund – a very young centre forward who has been injured. It could take another 12 months to get the best out of him. There was good potential last year.
“[Joshua] Zirkzee came from nowhere – not many people had seen him or heard of him when other strikers were available.”
Scholes on Man Utd’s strength in the market
Scholes spotlighted United missing out on the likes of Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and Arsenal star Declan Rice in recent transfer windows.
The 49-year-old former England international claimed that United’s appeal in the transfer market may have dwindled, despite being the “biggest club in the world.”
“The numbers that were quoted to most teams for Ivan Toney were ridiculous which is probably why he didn’t go to Chelsea or Arsenal and ended up in Saudi Arabia,” Scholes added.
“The big ones are a couple of years ago when you could have signed Harry Kane or Declan Rice.
“They might have cost £100million each but you know their qualities and character, their belief in the dressing room and on the football pitch, would have been better than going and spending £200million on four or five players that you’re not quite sure about.
“I’m not sure what market United are in anymore. They’re still the biggest club in the world and people will want to sign for them, but not as much as they would have wanted to in a time gone by.”
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