Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt didn’t hold back when asked about the club’s move for Youri Tielemans. The verdict came fast: this is a smart piece of business, but it’s not enough on its own.
United triggered Tielemans’ release clause at Aston Villa earlier this week. The Belgian midfielder is scheduled for a medical in the next 24 hours. Villa didn’t want to lose him, but once United matched the clause and Tielemans made it clear he wanted Old Trafford, the deal was basically done.
The move fills a clear need. United missed out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes earlier this window, then circled back to targets like Andrey Santos — whose arrival is already confirmed — and Tielemans. Now both are coming in. But according to Scholes, that still leaves a gap.
What Scholes and Butt Said
On The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt started things off with a pretty direct take.
“I think he’s a very, very good footballer,” Butt said. “If you look at the £35 million for him, that’s a phenomenal signing. Well done to the recruitment team because they’ve needed to get a rocket on and they have, haven’t they? I know it’s difficult with the tournament going on.”
Scholes jumped in with a slightly different emphasis. “Still need two in there,” he said. “I can’t see Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo playing together. No. They still need someone in there and whether that’s the Santos kid…”
Butt stuck with the squad-building argument. “We’re trying to build a squad and not just the starting 11. If you want to compete in all four competitions that we’re in this year, you have to build a squad and he is phenomenal.”
Scholes then clarified: he wasn’t knocking Tielemans. “That’s why I’m saying they still might need more. But Tielemans brings great experience. Really good player and he knows the Premier League. He is a very, very good player.”
What Tielemans Actually Brings
He’s 29 now, has logged hundreds of Premier League minutes, and plays with a mix of technical control and defensive awareness that managers usually like. He’s not flashy, but he’s reliable. For a club that’s been patching together its midfield for a couple of years, that kind of steady presence matters.
At £35 million, it’s not a bargain-bin signing. But in today’s market, getting a player with his experience and profile without haggling for weeks is something the recruitment team is probably feeling good about.
United’s next preseason game is Saturday against Wrexham. It’ll be the first chance to see how Tielemans and Santos slot into whatever system Erik ten Hag — or whoever’s running things come August — is building.
Leave a Comment