Paul Scholes has revealed the Premier League star whom he was desperate for Manchester United to sign in the January window, after they lost an intense transfer battle for the player.
Manchester United have kept their transfer business to a minimum so far this year, with it being rumoured that the higher-ups at the club are not looking to bring in any recruits to the side despite the current poor form.
Michael Carrick’s appointment could change this, but it is unlikely, as he was probably well aware of INEOS’s transfer plans for January before taking the job at Old Trafford, with them being a huge factor in Ruben Amorim’s departure.
Even with Amad, Noussair Mazraoui and Bryan Mbeumbo all having been absent whilst playing at AFCON and injuries to multiple key players, the policy has not changed, which indicates no new transfers are likely to take place.
However, United were involved in one transfer race, alongside a multitude of the Premier League’s bigger sides, for the signature of a player who has been one of the seasons stand out performers for his side. But unfortunately, the Red Devils were ousted by one of their biggest rivals.
Scholes believes Semenyo would be better suited at United
United missed out on Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City, in what will seemingly be the biggest deal of the January transfer window, with the winger expected to feature in the Manchester derby on Saturday.
Semenyo is currently the third-highest goal scorer in the Premier League and has been the shining light of Bournemouth’s season, being rewarded with a £65m deal to the Citizens to help them challenge Arsenal for the league title.
However, legendary United midfielder Paul Scholes is not convinced the 26-year-old suits the mould of a typical Manchester City midfielder.
Speaking to The Good, The Bad, & The Football podcast, Scholes said, “He hasn’t got like the guile and the little intricate stuff that you expect with City, like David Silva in the past or a Phil Foden.
“He doesn’t seem that type of player, but you’d still love to have him, I wish we had him, he’d be more suited to us, you know.”
The former England international will be hoping that Semenyo doesn’t suit his new club’s system on Saturday during the Manchester derby and may regret his decision when he walks out in front of the infamous Old Trafford crowd.
Should INEOS change their January window plans?
After failing to sign Semenyo, Jason Wilcox made it clear that the club would only sign players who they felt aligned with the long-term plan for success at Old Trafford. However, this goes against their reasoning for hiring a short-term interim manager, Michael Carrick.
Aside from this, it is obvious that the team is in desperate need of midfield upgrades, which seem very unlikely to happen given the strict stance on the January window taken by the higher-ups.
Relying on the current group of players is a risky decision, as they have proved time and time again that they crumble under pressure, whether in a European final or in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
With all attention now focused on the Premier League, it would make sense to recruit just a couple of short-term players to bolster the squad, a decision which would earn them some credibility from the fanbase.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.