Paul Scholes has poured cold water on Manchester United's interest in Aurélien Tchouaméni. The former Manchester United midfielder said the club need to move quickly in midfield, while warning that a deal for Real Madrid's France international looks expensive and difficult.

Scholes wants more than one signing

Scholes did not dress it up. Speaking to teamtalk.com, he said: "There must be something going on behind the scenes, but what are they doing? They've got the Champions League to play in. They've got to start doing some business pretty soon. They probably need three midfield players."

That is the sharpest part of his take, because it frames United's problem as a squad issue rather than a single transfer chase. If the club really do need three midfielders, then one big-name target does not solve much on its own.

He was also blunt about Tchouaméni himself. "I think he struggled for Real Madrid last year, and I don't think he's been great in the World Cup so far as well," Scholes said. Tchouaméni has made three World Cup appearances and played 270 minutes, so Scholes' criticism is being aimed at a full run of games rather than a cameo sample.

The price and wage problem

The financial side looks awkward too. Teamtalk.com reported that Real Madrid are said to value Tchouaméni at around €100 million, while Fabrizio Romano said his wages are also considered too high for United at the moment. Romano added: "Tchouaméni is a dream signing for Man Utd; they love the player. But at the moment, the financials of the deal are considered still too high."

That is the part that makes this more than a simple admirer-versus-sceptic story. United can like the player and still be nowhere near a realistic bid if the fee is around €100 million and the salary is set at €12.5m a year. Madrid's openness to offers, where reported, does not make the move easy for United.

There is also the wider midfield picture. United have missed out on Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali this summer, with Casemiro's departure and Manuel Ugarte's long-term injury sitting behind the need for reinforcement. Scholes' line that the club probably need three midfielders is not a throwaway comment, it fits the shape of the rebuild.

Nicky Butt offered the counterview on teamtalk.com, saying United miss "athleticism, aggression, power and pace in midfield". That is exactly the profile Tchouaméni would bring if the finances ever lined up.

For now, though, Scholes' read feels closer to the moment United are in. They need more than one fix, and the price of this one may be too high to make it the answer.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 8 outlets. How we work →