Paul Scholes has strongly criticised Manchester United’s transfer dealings following their 3-0 defeat to rivals Manchester City in the derby.
United have endured a poor start to the campaign, collecting just four points from their opening four league matches and crashing out of the Carabao Cup to Grimsby Town. This comes despite spending over £200 million on signings including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Senne Lammens.
Scholes was particularly unimpressed with United’s goalkeeping situation. Despite signing Lammens for £18.2 million, the Belgian was benched against City in favour of Altay Bayindir, while Andre Onana was sent on loan to Trabzonspor after struggling earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was available for just £26 million, joined Manchester City and impressed on his debut in the derby.
“Goalkeeper as well was a major issue,” Scholes said on the BBC Football Daily podcast. “Did you really need to get to that Grimsby game to realise Onana has not been good enough? Then you see someone like Donnarumma become available and you think: this is a chance. You can get a keeper for £35–40m who can serve you for the next 10 years.”
Donnarumma, who helped PSG to their first Champions League title last season, was deemed surplus to requirements by Luis Enrique after the arrival of Lucas Chevalier. Although linked to Old Trafford, United opted for Lammens, leaving City free to make the move after selling Ederson to Fenerbahce.
Scholes didn’t hold back: “If Man United were not in the market for Donnarumma when he became available, that’s a criminal offence for me. You buy this lad from Belgium for €20m (£18.2m) — that tells you everything about him at this point.”
Speaking later on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, he doubled down: “The Donnarumma one is the biggest mistake I can see. As soon as that man became available, drive to Paris, go get him, give him whatever he wants. He could easily be the best goalkeeper in the world — he reminds me of Peter Schmeichel.”