Paul Scholes hails Youri Tielemans as Manchester United’s £35m midfield coup

Paul Scholes has given his immediate verdict on Manchester United’s £35m capture of Youri Tielemans.

What happened?

On Monday, David Ornstein of The Athletic reported that Manchester United had reached agreement in principle to sign Tielemans from Aston Villa. United triggered the Belgium international’s release clause and Villa were powerless to stop the move after Tielemans himself pushed for a switch to Old Trafford. The 26-year-old is due to complete his medical within 24 hours and will join teammate Andrey Santos as Erik ten Hag’s latest summer recruit.

Why it matters for Paul Scholes

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes and former United midfield partner Nicky Butt both labelled the deal a smart piece of business. Butt called Tielemans “a very, very good footballer” and hailed the £35m fee as “phenomenal.” Scholes added a note of caution: “Still need two [midfielders] in there.” The duo stressed that United must keep building depth to compete in all four competitions this season.

What comes next?

United open their pre-season schedule against Wrexham on Saturday. Ten Hag’s side will need Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo to gel quickly if they are to challenge on multiple fronts. Butt argued that Tielemans brings Premier League know-how and defensive steel-qualities United have lacked in midfield. Scholes agreed: “He knows the league. He is a very, very good player.” The squad count grows, but the pressure on Ten Hag to deliver remains.