Paul Scholes used his punditry slot to put Manchester United’s striker issue back in the spotlight as the club sent officials to watch Nicolò Tresoldi in Club Brugge KV’s UEFA Champions League match against Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Manchester United and Tottenham were both represented, and Tresoldi responded with a penalty in Club Brugge’s 3-2 home defeat.
"I felt it was really timid against Everton," Scholes said on football365.com. "There was no aggression, and Everton were there for the taking." He also said, "It is very difficult to watch a Manchester United team without a centre-forward," before adding that watching United without one is "a struggle".
Scholes's view of United's attack
The criticism lands because United still look short of a proper No 9. Scholes singled out the lack of a centre-forward, and he was equally pointed about Joshua Zirkzee, saying he is "definitely not a No 9".
That lines up with the club's current striker options. Benjamin Sesko has one league goal from three Premier League appearances and a 6.89 rating, while Zirkzee has not made a Premier League appearance this season.
Why Tresoldi stays on the radar
Tresoldi's numbers explain why the scouting trip mattered. He has scored five goals in seven matches this season, after 23 goals in 58 appearances last term. That is a decent early return and a stronger base than a one-off run.
The transfer picture is still unsettled. Reports have varied on the timing and on the valuation, but the common thread is that United are looking and others are looking too. The same trip also saw work continue on Joaquin Seys, with Brugge thought to be open to selling the left-back for €35m (£30m).
United's next move on Tresoldi is still reported as conditional, with January talks linked to a possible Zirkzee departure. For now, the clearest fact is that United and Tottenham watched him in Europe and he scored anyway.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
