Paul Scholes is never shy about his views, and he is not holding back on new signing Andrey Santos.
Manchester United fans have given a positive response to the move to sign Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. The £48 million deal is an example of United buying when a player is not at the peak of his powers, investing at the right time.
Of course, you can’t win everybody over, and former United midfielder Paul Scholes is in the unhappy campe.
Speaking to The Good, The Bad & The Football, Scholes is extremely sceptical about Manchester United’s latest signing.
He said: “I don’t think there is going to be a lot of excitement about, or why is Chelsea selling him? 22 or 23 year old kid, recruitment will have done their work. They will have done that work for six months, but where have they seen him play enough games.
“I know he is young and for the future but Man United aren’t in a position to be buying players for the future.
“At this point, I think he is one of those modern midfield players who doesn’t actually do a lot.”
Come on Paul give him a chance…. Scholes has written Andrey Santos off already – What do you think of these comments?
Scholes was wrong about Senne Lammens last season…
Scholes was wrong on Senne Lammens
You would think that by now, Paul Scholes would be reluctant to write a Manchester United player off before a ball has been kicked.
Last September he criticised the deal for Senne Lammens, suggesting that he cannot possibly be good enough because he only cost £18 million. Lammens turned out to be one of the best signings in the Premier League.
Scholes has repeated his mistake, he has formed a judgment on Santos based on his age and his cost, rather than offering any insight about his strengths and weaknesses.
From a statistical point of view, Santos outperforms Mateus Fernandes, who would have cost United a fee of £85 million.
United’s recruitment was shrewd last summer, and it looks shrewd again so far in 2026. Just because a player is not a ‘big name’, does not mean that they will not succeed.
Who will end up having the better season Andrey Santos or Mateus Fernandes, and why?
Have Manchester United got the better deal this summer?👀
Nicky Butt is more positive on Santos
Scholes’ former teammate Nicky Butt shares some of the concerns with Scholes, but he has a generally more positive outlook on the new signing.
Butt said: “We have been looking at big hitters to come in, so it is a bit of surprise. Carrick and United don’t have time to let people bed in, so if he has been done to come in and start it is a shock.
“He is obviously a talented footballer, the recruitment can’t get it that bad at £50m, but whether he will go in and get us to that level of competing again, we will have to wait and see.
“He has good legs, he is decent with the ball, I don’t think he has an x-factor where he has one stand out strength like he is brilliant at passing the ball, brilliant at running with the ball … he is not brilliant box to box, but he is a good all round midfielder.
“Man United’s midfield, we all expected a massive signing. I hope he is brilliant. And he becomes a superstar.”
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