Follow usPaul Scholes was extremely harsh on Manchester United’s transfer business after their 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City, which deepened the crisis under Ruben Amorim.
United’s loss at the Etihad left them with just four points from their opening four league games. This comes despite a summer spending of more than £200 million on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Scholes: “If Man United weren’t in for Donnarumma when he was made available, that should be a criminal offence. The new keeper [Lammens], brought in from Belgium, he was what, £20 million? I think that tells you what you need to know.” [@bbc5live] #mufc pic.twitter.com/hc6A8EBFOh
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) September 15, 2025
Scholes, though, was unimpressed, singling out United’s goalkeeping situation as a symbol of mismanagement. Lammens, signed for £18.2 million, was left on the bench for the derby, with Altay Bayindir retaining his spot despite inconsistent displays.
“Goalkeeper as well was a major issue,” Scholes said on the BBC Football Daily podcast. “It felt like they got to that Grimsby game, did you really need to get to that Grimsby game to realize Onana has not been good enough? Then you see someone like Donnarumma come up and you think, right, this is a chance. We can buy a keeper here for £35m to £40m who we’ve got for the next 10 years.”
Scholes was equally scathing about Lammens, arguing his fee alone was telling. “You buy this lad from Belgium. What’s he cost? €20m (£18.2m). I think that tells you everything about him at this point,” he said.
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