Paul Scholes picks a Man Utd player he thinks could become a ‘big star’ – and it might surprise you!
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes thinks one player in Michael Carrick’s current squad could become a star – and it’s not the obvious pick.
United are heading into the 2026/27 Premier League season feeling positive after turning things around since Carrick took charge in January. Under his leadership, the team finished third in the league and earned a spot in the Champions League.
With European games coming up, United face more challenges. Last season, they played only 38 Premier League games plus one each in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. This season, they’ll play at least eight more European matches in the group stage, even if they don’t make the knockouts.
Even though the club signed midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, Scholes still feels United’s midfield “could use a bit more.” He thinks Crystal Palace’s playmaker Adam Wharton would be “a good signing” and also has respect for Spurs midfielder Sandro Tonali.
But Scholes believes the biggest need is at the heart of defense. He suggests United should bring in Spurs and Argentina center-back Cristian Romero. The 51-year-old admits Romero can be a bit wild sometimes but believes Carrick’s calm approach could help him shine. Romero is also linked with Inter and Atletico Madrid.
“He seems like a bit of a cult hero defender,” Scholes said in an interview with SPORTbible. “I know it might sound strange, but I think the fans at Old Trafford would really like him.”
While Scholes thinks defensive signings are necessary to support players like Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire, he also praised 19-year-old center-back Ayden Heaven.
“You need reliable center-halves,” Scholes said, noting Martinez often gets injured. “They have this young player Heaven, who looks really promising, but he’s still going to make mistakes because he’s young.”
Heaven joined United from Arsenal in 2024 and played 17 Premier League games last season after recovering from a serious ankle injury.
When asked about who United could build their team around in the next few years, Heaven’s name came up again. Scholes believes the young defender “has the potential to become a top center-half,” but he’s cautious about naming him as the team’s key player just yet.
Scholes’ former teammate and podcast co-host Nicky Butt joined the conversation, saying it’s “really hard” to find a youngster that Carrick can build the team around right now. He added that Carrick will need at least three or four transfer windows before United can seriously challenge for the Premier League title.
“Kobbie [Mainoo] could be one,” Butt said. “But after what happened last season and the World Cup break, he’ll have to start fresh and prove himself again from the beginning of the season. Right now, there’s no one other than Bruno Fernandes. He’s the one they have to build around.”
Mainoo had limited chances under the previous manager but got more playing time with Carrick. He finished the 2025/26 season with 28 appearances and was even called up to England’s World Cup squad, though he didn’t get on the field during the tournament.
United will kick off their Premier League season against newly promoted Hull City on August 22.
Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt spoke exclusively to SPORTbible for the new season of The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. You can watch or listen to the full episode now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.