‘What is he?! Is he a Striker, winger or a midfielder because it seems the player is confused on what he is supposed to do. The young lad is just all over the place. The main blame should be the board that approved the signing of such a wasteful player. So millions of pounds down the drain this season as well?, Okay,!’ – Paul Scholes questions Manchester United signing following the draw against Aston Villa.

Paul Scholes has expressed frustration over Manchester United’s “recruitment mess” under Erik ten Hag and voiced his concerns about summer signing Joshua Zirkzee following the team’s goalless draw with Aston Villa.

The Red Devils arrived at Villa Park needing a strong showing after a dismal start to the season, having recently been held to a 3-3 draw by Porto.

However, a significantly altered United squad struggled to generate clear chances, with Bruno Fernandes coming closest when his free-kick hit the crossbar.

In stoppage time, United squandered a prime opportunity to score, as Alejandro Garnacho mishandled his pass to Fernandes, who was in a clear position to score following a quick counter-attack.

The outcome leaves the Old Trafford club languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, a situation Dimitar Berbatov has described as “unbelievable” for a club of United’s caliber.

Meanwhile, legendary former United and England midfielder Scholes admitted he never truly expected his old team to go to Villa Park solely focused on winning the match.

“It’s a point for United, going to a tough ground under a lot of pressure,” Scholes remarked in the SuperSport studio shortly after the match ended.

“I didn’t really get the impression that they went there with the intention of winning the game. It felt more like a strategy for survival than anything else.

“However, considering everything we discussed before the match, United proved to be quite challenging to play against today, especially given the midweek fixtures.

“Villa gained a boost from their win against Bayern Munich, creating a great atmosphere, but they struggled to maintain that today. It seemed like they were affected by it.

“For Manchester United, it’s tough to play away in Europe on Thursday night, and their match against Porto was challenging, especially with ten men for part of the game. I think the match was a reflection of the demanding midweek experiences both clubs had.”

Three of Manchester United’s prominent summer signings—Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, and Zirkzee—started on the bench against Villa, highlighting a worrying trend in Ten Hag’s selection choices.

According to Scholes, this situation illustrates the club’s aimless recruitment strategy despite spending a significant amount in recent years.

“In attacking positions, especially, I don’t believe the quality is sufficient,” he remarked.

“When we look at the most successful teams, they can score goals. What have we managed? Just five goals in seven games.”

“We used to have three or four forwards who could each score 20 goals, which would add up to 80 goals a season. I just don’t see that kind of potential in Manchester United’s attack.

“Sure, [Rasmus] Hojlund is decent, but will he score 20 goals? I doubt it.

“Zirkzee… what position is he really? Is he a No. 9 or a No. 10? Can he provide 20 goals? I don’t think so.

“It feels like they are banking more on hope than on proven talent, especially considering how much they’ve spent.”

Scholes added, “It’s an absurd amount of money spent, and some of these players can’t even get into the team!

“Take Ugarte, who was brought in to transform the midfield, yet he didn’t play.

“Then there’s De Ligt, who cost £50 million but didn’t see any action. Instead, 36-year-old Jonny Evans is taking his place.

“[Lisandro] Martinez, whom Ten Hag brought to the club, must be wondering what’s going on today. Jonny Evans is starting, Maguire is in the lineup, and [Victor] Lindelof gets subbed in before him. It’s really just a recruitment disaster.”

Scholes thinks that United’s inability to establish a clear playing style under Ten Hag has made it “very difficult” for the club in the transfer market.

“When you lack a defined style of play and aren’t sure about how you want to play, it complicates player selection,” he explained.

“With Liverpool, it’s straightforward; they have a 4-3-3 system, and you can recruit accordingly.

“But without a set style, and with tactics that change from week to week, it feels like you’re just taking chances, thinking, ‘He seems like a good player; let’s go for him.'”