Paul Scholes has voiced his apprehensions about Ruud van Nistelrooy’s involvement in Manchester United’s transfer strategies, particularly concerning the acquisition of Joshua Zirkzee.
Scholes argues that van Nistelrooy, who has a rich history with the club, should have had a more significant role in selecting strikers for the team.
The Red Devils have struggled to find the back of the net this season, with only Southampton and Crystal Palace scoring fewer goals.
This lack of offensive firepower led to Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, with van Nistelrooy stepping in as interim manager ahead of the Carabao Cup clash against Leicester City.
Van Nistelrooy’s return to United as an assistant coach last summer raised expectations regarding his influence on player recruitment.
However, Scholes is concerned that van Nistelrooy might not have supported the signings of Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund, both of whom have not delivered the desired results thus far.
Zirkzee, who arrived from Bologna for £36.5 million, made an impressive debut by scoring on the opening day of the season but has since struggled, with only one goal in 12 appearances.
Scholes believes that van Nistelrooy’s insights could have been invaluable during the recruitment process, stating, “If you were Ruud watching that, he is maybe thinking, ‘I will take a back seat, I don’t want to get involved in that.’”
He emphasized the importance of consulting a former striker like van Nistelrooy when making decisions about centre-forwards.
As United prepares to finalize the appointment of Ruben Amorim as their new permanent manager, the uncertainty surrounding van Nistelrooy’s future remains.
Sporting Lisbon has acknowledged that Manchester United is willing to activate Amorim’s £8.3 million release clause, but the Portuguese coach has yet to make a definitive decision about his future.