Transfer Centre

Paul Scholes: 'Manchester United not replacing Romelu Lukaku is a mistake'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 19 September 2019

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes admits that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could live to regret his failure to replace Romelu Lukaku during the summer.

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has admitted that he is concerned about the club's failure to secure a replacement for Romelu Lukaku during the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils allowed both Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to join Inter Milan in an attempt to trim their squad, but Daniel James was their only attacking signing, with bids for the likes of Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic failing to materialise.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has subsequently been left with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and youngster Mason Greenwood as his three central striking options, and Scholes believes that they may be caught short in that area of the field.

"That's the one thing that disappoints me. [Solskjaer] obviously knew they were going to sell Lukaku at some point, but not to have a centre-forward lined up seems like a mistake to me," Scholes told talkSPORT.

"Whether they did, whether it dragged on too long from the club's point of view, I don't know. They're going into a season without a centre-forward when it's a club that is known for its attacking style and had probably four centre-forwards in its heyday.

"So to go in there with Rashford and Martial, who you're not quite sure if they're left wingers or centre-forwards, we don't know. But I'm sure it'll get sorted."

United have scored in every match so far this season but have only managed one apiece in their four outings since thrashing Chelsea 4-0 on the opening day.