Former midfielder Paul Scholes has questioned Manchester United’s recruitment strategy following the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
United headed into the summer transfer window in desperate need to bolster the attack and identified Mbeumo and Cunha as two of their primary targets. They signed the pair for a combined £133.5 million.
They have started Man United’s first three Premier League games, but Mbeumo has been the standout player. The Cameroonian has two goals already, but his Brazilian counterpart has yet to score for the club.
Scholes believes that Man United should not have signed the duo, as their arrival affected the club in bolstering other key areas.
He told The Overlap: “Bringing two numbers tens (Cunha and Mbeumo) was that really necessary? You think you’ve got Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo can do that… If you’ve done that and wasted a bit of money and not been able to get a midfield player or a goalkeeper, it’s not great recruitment-wise, is it?
“I can’t make better what a lot of the problems are in the team, which are two central midfield players, and the goalkeepers are massive.”
Man United should have signed only one of Mbeumo and Cunha
Cunha and Mbeumo were brilliant in the league last season, and they add more quality to Man United’s attack
However, the club should have signed just one of them, given that they have other players like Mainoo, Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee who can play in the number 10 role.
This would have allowed United to save enough money to pursue a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba or a world-class goalkeeper.
While the Red Devils signed young Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens before yesterday’s deadline, there is no guarantee that he will be an upgrade on Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir due to his inexperience.
The goalkeeping department and midfield frailties have been exposed in Man United’s opening four games this season. The failure to sign quality players in those two positions could prove costly this term, even with Cunha and Mbeumo’s impact in the final third.
