Paul Scholes sparks mixed feelings among Man Utd fans with his surprising opinion on Youri Tielemans.
Paul Scholes has sparked some mixed feelings among Manchester United fans with his thoughts on their new signing, Youri Tielemans.
In July, Man United signed Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million, and the Belgian midfielder signed a five-year deal. With Casemiro leaving on a free transfer to Inter Miami and Manuel Ugarte expected to miss up to a year after an injury, Michael Carrick needed fresh options in midfield.
Tielemans is the Red Devils’ second midfield signing this summer, following Andrey Santos, who joined from Chelsea for £50 million. At 29, Tielemans brings lots of Premier League experience, having played 244 games and earning a reputation as one of Europe’s top deep-lying playmakers. He was a key player for Unai Emery last season, with two goals and three assists in the Europa League helping Villa win their first major trophy in 30 years.
Tielemans made his Manchester United debut on Sunday, coming off the bench for the last 25 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain. Fans were pleased with his performance in midfield as he linked well with Bruno Fernandes and worked hard to push the team forward. He completed all 21 of his passes, carried the ball nine times, and recovered possession five times, showing off his skills.
He’ll look to impress even more when United face Leeds United on Wednesday in their second-last pre-season game. The big challenge for Tielemans will be staying consistent and handling the pressure—something many players have found tough at Old Trafford.
Paul Scholes pointed out this challenge, saying Tielemans can sometimes be inconsistent. “I think Tielemans can be a 9/10 or a 2/10,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad, & The Football podcast. He added that at clubs like Villa or Leicester, there’s sometimes more room for ups and downs, but at Man United, players need to perform almost every game.
Naturally, many fans didn’t agree with Scholes when his comments went viral. Some pointed out that Tielemans has been consistently good lately, and questioned whether Scholes has been watching his recent performances. Others said this kind of critical coverage is why many turn to alternative media for football news.
After their game against Leeds, United will face AC Milan in their final pre-season match before starting the Premier League season away at newly-promoted Hull City on August 22.