Scholes: Man Utd need to sign another central defender this month

Stefan Bienkowski

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:45 CDT
• 2 min read

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes the club’s back line needs bolster in the January transfer window. 

Having scored 34 goals in 17 Premier League games thanks to talents like Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, United’s attacking threat is as good as any in the English top flight. 

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have also conceded 24 goals in that period too – three more than Liverpool but 11 more than rivals Manchester City. 

Scholes puts that down to a lack of quality across the United defensive line and believes the club would do well to sign another central defender in the January transfer window. 

READ MORE:

• How Haaland has helped move Kane up Man Utd and Chelsea’s shopping list

“As a back-four, I worry about how good they really are,” the 46-year-old coach and former player told ESPN.

“At full-back, Aaron Wan-Bisssaka is just about defending, which is fine for a game at Liverpool, but I’m not sure what Luke Shaw brings to the team. 

“In the middle, Ole still has to find Harry Maguire’s best partner. Eric Bailly has pace, but he is rash and picks up too many injuries. 

“Victor Lindelof plays the position better and seems to be Ole’s preferred option, but again, he is not totally convincing.

“If I was Ole and could sign a defender this month, I’d go for Wesley Fofana at Leicester. He’s only 20, but he has been outstanding and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be. 

“United have done OK at the back this season, but they have been exposed when playing against the big teams, and that’s another problem they need to solve.”

Having signed for Leicester in 2020 for a fee of £31.5 million and with a contract at the club until 2025, Man United would likely have to break the bank in an effort to sign Fofana in the January window. 

However, the club have been linked with more obtainable options in recent weeks, such as Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos and Bayern Munich defender David Alaba. 

While both players would likely demand much higher wages than Fofana, they’re both entering the final six months of his contract and could be signed for free in the summer or perhaps even for a cut-down fee in January.