Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has sparked widespread controversy with his recent comments, in which he painted a picture of an impending ‘footballing bloodbath’ at Old Trafford, naming Moroccan international Nasser Mazraoui among the players he believes must be offloaded during the upcoming summer transfer window.
These comments come at a time when the “Red Devils” are enjoying a remarkable resurgence under interim manager Michael Carrick, who has guided the team to third place in the Premier League, with a return to the Champions League looking increasingly likely.
Mezraoui in the firing line
During his appearance on the podcast “The Good, The Bad & The Football”, Scholes was unusually candid about the current squad, and his opinion on Nasser Mazraoui was categorical.
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Despite the tactical flexibility the Moroccan player has shown since his arrival, Scholes felt that this lack of positional clarity does not serve the club’s grand ambitions.
Justifying his stance on selling Mazraoui, Scholes said: “I don’t know exactly where his position is; he has been used as a right-sided centre-back at times. I don’t think he fits the team’s current system, and perhaps it is time for him to leave to make way for more specialised options.”
Observers believe that Scholes’ vision reflects his desire to build a defence characterised by physical strength and uncompromising pace, which has also led him to call for the departure of other players such as Harry Maguire (who has renewed his contract), Lennie Yoro and Patrick Dorgu.
Eight names on the chopping block
Scholes’ criticism did not stop at Mazraoui, but extended to a long list of players whom he believes are not up to the standard required to compete for the Premier League or Champions League titles.
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The proposed list of “departures” included:
Defence: Nasser Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Lennie Yoro, Patrick Dourgo, and Luke Shaw (due to his recurring injuries).
Midfield and attack: Casemiro (who has confirmed his departure), Mason Mount, Manuel Ogarti, and Joshua Zirkzee.
Stability in goal
In contrast, Cal Scholes heaped praise on young goalkeeper Sene Lamin, describing him as the real turning point in the team’s consistency following a spell of inconsistency under André Onana.
He also emphasised the need to retain Matthijs de Ligt as a key pillar of the defence, considering him the better option for the future compared to Maguire.