Paul Scholes names the player Manchester United should have signed instead of Manuel Ugarte

The PSG midfielder is on the Old Trafford club’s transfer radar.

Manchester United appear to be closing in on the signing of PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte to strengthen their central midfield options, but Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes says his former club should have signed another player instead.

The Premier League season got off to a positive start for Erik ten Hag’s side with a 1-0 win against Fulham thanks to substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s late finish.

Zirkzee is one of four new arrivals so far at Old Trafford this summer, signing from Italian side Bologna for a reported £36.5 million.

Defender Leny Yoro arrived from Lille for more than £50 million, though the Frenchman has been ruled out for the next few months due to injury.

And Bayern Munich defensive duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui joined in time to make their debuts in the victory over the Cottagers alongside Zirkzee.

The summer transfer window has a week left to run until it closes on Friday, August 30 and the Old Trafford club are expected to do more business before the deadline.

United are also intent on bringing a No.6 to Old Trafford before the window shuts and PSG midfielder Ugarte has been heavily linked with a switch, with the potential deal for the Uruguayan being a loan for this campaign with an obligation to buy next summer.

At 23, Ugarte fits the age profile of players United have targeted this summer, having played 37 times for PSG last season following a switch from Sporting Lisbon in 2023.

 

Manuel Ugarte has been heavily linked with a transfer to Manchester United. (
Getty)

But though Ugarte could become a United player before the end of the transfer window, Old Trafford legend Scholes has named a former Manchester City midfielder as one his old team ought to have signed instead.

Ilkay Gundogan departed City last summer to move to Barcelona, but has now made a swift return to the Etihad – re-joining the Premier League champions after just one season in Spain.

And Scholes named the former City captain as the player United should have brought in to their midfield ranks – also naming Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi as a candidate too, though the Spaniard turned down the chance to move to Liverpool earlier this summer.

Speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Scholes said: “I think that’s the type of player they need – a Zubimendi or – I’m gonna say – Gundogan.

“A controlling midfield player to take the sting out.

“I am going to say Gundogan.”