‘Criminal offence’ if Man United were not in for Donnarumma – Scholes
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has said it is a “criminal offence” if the club were not “in the market for Gianluigi Donnarumma” when he was available in the summer.
Manchester City eventually completed the signing of Donnarumma in a deal worth €30 million ($40.2m) while United announced the signing of goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day.
Earlier in the window United brought in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Diego León for a combined transfer outlay of more than £200m and Scholes believes the club’s decisions in the transfer market and failure to address the goalkeeping situation earlier could cost them this season.
“I don’t think the quality is there [in the side],” Scholes told the BBC.
“Goalkeeper was a major issue. Did they really need to get to the Grimsby game to realise [André] Onana is not good enough?
“If Manchester United were not in the market for Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available, that is [a] 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.”
“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.”
After the shock second-round Carabao Cup exit to League Two Grimsby Town and defeat in the Manchester derby in the Premier League, United manager Ruben Amorim has come under increasing scrutiny, with Scholes believing that the pressure won’t ease on the Portuguese coach until he changes the way his side sets up.
“He cannot carry on playing this way, he just can’t,” Scholes said.
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“At some point there has to be a moment where he thinks, ‘I have to change something because what I am doing now is not working and I am not getting results.’ The proof is there.
“I like Amorim, with everything he says, he seems to be a likeable man. But unfortunately results paint a picture.
“At this moment in time it isn’t good enough. At this moment in time if results don’t improve, performances don’t really matter that much. He has to win some games or the pressure is going to come on him massively.”
Amorim and United’s next task comes at home to Chelsea on Sept. 20 and despite their poor form sources have told ESPN that the former Sporting coach still has the backing of the club’s board and will be given time to turn things around.
Information from ESPN’s Rob Dawson contributed to this report.