Paul Scholes predicts Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sell two Manchester United stars | Football

Paul Scholes fears Manchester United will sell academy graduates Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho this summer.

Scholes’ attentions turned to a vital transfer window for United boss Ruben Amorim following Sunday’s uneventful goalless derby against Manchester City.

The Old Trafford legend and ex-England midfielder believes his former club need several new signings to improve the squad but questioned whether there was money in the pot to do just that.

Last month, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe opened up on the club’s financial problems and suggested the club were close to running out of cash before he implemented a series of cost-cutting measures.

With Amorim needed cash and new signings to inject some quality into a team currently just 13th in the Premier League, Scholes believes Ratcliffe will raise funds by selling Mainoo and Garnacho.

Manchester United are reportedly open to offers for Mainoo, who was one of the club’s best players last season and played for England at last summer’s Euros.

Garnacho has also been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford, even attracting interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea during the January transfer window.

Asked whether United had the money to make the necessary signings in the summer window, Scholes told Premier League Productions following the drab Manchester derby: ‘It has to be a major concern.

‘Where’s the money coming from for new signings? We saw those interviews with Sir Jim and they didn’t make good reading.

‘It doesn’t look like Ruben Amorim will get a war chest to go to war with. It doesn’t feel like that.

‘I get the impression, and I could be wrong, but I think they might sell the two young players. I think they might sell Mainoo and Garnacho.

‘Maybe they sell them this summer. The Mainoo one would hurt. They both would. Garnacho came later but Mainoo has been at the club since he was a kid.

‘He had a brilliant season last year and it makes the academy system look bad if a player like him can’t make it and they have to sell him.

‘I hope I’m wrong, I hope they don’t do that, but the noises I hear, it is a big concern.’

Scholes described Manchester United’s recent recruitment as ‘terrible’ and said it was ‘incredible’ that Rasmus Hojlund is their only viable option up front at present.

United looked defensively solid against Manchester City but struggled to create many clear-cut openings in one of the most low-key affair derbies in memory.

Man Utd paying price for ‘terrible recruitment’

‘Ruben Amorim hasn’t got the ammunition at the moment to go out and score goals,’ Scholes said. ‘He’s got Bruno who’s capable but the others aren’t goalscorers.

‘You look at the recruitment for the last few years and think, how on earth have United only got one centre forward who doesn’t score goals? It’s incredible.

‘I don’t remember there being much competition for some of the players they’ve signed. I don’t remember there being a fight for Zirkzee, Ugarte, Antony.

‘They’re not fighting for players who other teams want and that’s possibly a problem as well. It’s bad recruitment, terrible recruitment.’

Given the mountain of problems at Manchester United, Scholes believe the club should ‘stick with’ Amorim.

United fans hoped for an upturn in form and performances after Amorim left Sporting Lisbon to take over at Old Trafford, but that has failed to materialise.

‘Manchester United could be a mess for the next five years,’ the Premier League legend added.

‘They might have the right man in place but Pep Guardiola could be there and this would still be a major job. We’ve tried everything.

‘Now it’s time to stick with the man and the system and the fans will support him.

‘You’ve just got to stick with it I think because we’ve tried Van Gaal and Mourinho, the very best around, and it hasn’t worked. I think you need to stick with him now.’

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