Paul Scholes has shared his thoughts on Erik ten Hag’s relationship with a specific Manchester United player.
United’s disappointing start to the Premier League season continued with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Following the match, club legend Scholes suggested that Ten Hag has been eager to replace Harry Maguire with Matthijs de Ligt.
Maguire’s future at United has been uncertain for the past two years, with the England defender frequently facing criticism from fans and pundits. His struggles led Ten Hag to sign De Ligt for £43 million this summer, and Scholes believes that De Ligt’s immediate inclusion in the starting lineup indicates Ten Hag’s long-standing intention to replace Maguire.
Speaking on the *Overlap Fan Debate*, Scholes said, “He couldn’t wait to get De Ligt in ahead of Maguire; he was just waiting for the chance.”
However, Scholes isn’t convinced that De Ligt is a significant upgrade over Maguire. “Honestly, I’m not sure it’s that much of an improvement,” he continued. “He might be slightly better, but not to the extent where you think, ‘Wow.’”
Scholes also noted that Ten Hag is generally cautious when integrating new signings into the squad. “Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the fans during the Liverpool game, but then he went away with Uruguay. With South American players, sometimes they don’t return until a Friday, and then they’re expected to play a Saturday lunchtime game.”
He added, “Ten Hag seems to take his time with new players, like De Ligt being benched at Bayern behind Eric Dier for no clear reason, and now this? So, are we not allowed to rotate anymore?”
A fan reaction followed, with one person saying, “Scholes was an incredible player, but you just know he’d make an awful manager.”
Leave a Reply