Manchester United and Ruben Amorim seem to have followed Paul Scholes‘ advice by targeting two high-calibre centre-backs. The club legend stated earlier this week that the Red Devils lack a spine and should invest in top-class defenders.
Despite Amorim replacing Erik ten Hag and promising a fresh start, the results have been underwhelming. Under his leadership, United have managed just four league wins in 13 games, leaving them sat an uncharacteristic 13th place in the Premier League standings.
Scholes, who spent his entire illustrious career at Old Trafford, pressed for substantial investment in the squad, specifically at the team’s core, just days ago. Now, echoing Scholes’ sentiment, it appears the club and Amorim share the notion of bolstering their backline with two new prodigious additions.
“There are a few things that are concerning,” Scholes stated on The Overlap Fan Debate. “There’s a lot of stuff he (Amorim) needs to do, we all know that, especially in transfer windows, but I don’t see a core of players.
“When you look at teams, you look right down the spine of a team. Liverpool: great goalkeeper, great centre half, forwards, midfielders, whatever. I don’t think United have any of that in any position. I think a new goalkeeper is needed, possibly two centre-halves, two centre-midfield players, and two centre-forwards.
“Alright, I’ll go for one centre midfielder and one centre forward, but with a bit of stature, a bit of quality, and really create a spine. When you’ve got that spine right, then you can add bits to it.”
As reported by The Sun, AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, a standout player for the soaring Cherries, is expected to be on United’s radar come the summer transfer window. German publication BILD also suggests that RB Leipzig’s young French centre-back, Castello Lukeba, has piqued the Red Devils’ interest.
Bournemouth’s 19-year-old Spaniard is widely considered one of the Premier League’s most promising young defenders, with numerous clubs reportedly showing interest. This widespread attention may be due to Huijsen’s rumoured £55million release clause, which comes into effect in July.
Lukeba, who also has a release clause, albeit slightly higher at an estimated £75m, is another potential target. It’s speculated that the 22-year-old, who transferred to Leipzig from Lyon in 2023, is gearing up for a significant deal this summer, and as Scholes has suggested, United could be the ones to seal the deal.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk