Paul Scholes says Manchester United transfer strategy left squad without required quality for Ruben Amorim's system

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has publicly criticised the club's summer transfer strategy, saying the squad lacks the "quality" to make manager Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system work and urging change if results do not improve.

United have taken four points from their opening four Premier League games — their poorest start to a league season since 1992-93 — and suffered a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby on Sunday. Despite growing external unrest, senior officials at Old Trafford have reiterated their support for Amorim and insist they remain focused on a longer-term plan rather than short-term results.

Scholes, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, said the problems ran deeper than tactics. "I don't think the quality is there," he said, adding that the midfield combinations tried so far have not worked. "I thought all summer, the absolute priority was a centre-midfield player with legs, who can play and can control a game." He also questioned the club's decision-making in goal, saying Manchester United should have pursued another goalkeeper when opportunities arose.

United spent around £200 million in the transfer window on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko as the recruitment department prioritised forwards, according to the club's internal analysis. The strategy was intended to deliver the greatest improvement for the money spent, but the team has scored only four Premier League goals to date, two of which were own goals.

Scholes said the club may have over-invested in forwards when other areas needed attention. "The recruitment side went to buy forwards. That did need addressing but did it need three of them? I'm not sure it did," he said. He also singled out goalkeeper Andre Onana, saying United should have acted sooner if they concluded he was not performing at the required level.

Wayne Rooney, the club's all-time leading scorer, has also voiced concern, saying United have "got worse" under Amorim and urging tactical change. Scholes said the manager "cannot carry on playing this way" if results and performances do not improve, warning that pressure on Amorim will grow unless victories are delivered soon.

Club officials remain publicly supportive of Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag last November following a turbulent campaign in which United finished 15th. After last month's shock Carabao Cup exit at League Two Grimsby Town, board members maintained their view that Amorim is the right candidate to rebuild the squad and culture, favouring continuity over reactionary decisions.

There are signs of unease within the dressing room about Amorim's insistence on his tactical approach, but those concerns have not been described as widespread. The manager has worked to foster a harmonious environment following last season's difficulties, and senior figures point to broader work on recruitment and squad balance as a long-term project.

United face a challenging run of fixtures in the short term, with Chelsea visiting Old Trafford on Saturday, followed by trips to Brentford and Sunderland, then a match at Anfield against Liverpool. The club conceded four goals in each of their last two visits to Brentford, underlining the immediate difficulty of turning results around.

The recruitment debate has extended beyond forwards and goalkeeping. Scholes highlighted midfielder Kobbie Mainoo alongside veterans Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, saying the combinations tried have failed to yield control in matches. "Whatever two out of the four or five they have got in [midfield] — Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], [Kobbie] Mainoo — whatever combination he seems to try doesn't seem to work," Scholes said.

While internal sources insist on a long-term view, external interest and speculation continue around Amorim. João Noronha Lopes, the favourite in the October 25 Benfica presidential election, attended the Manchester derby along with Pedro Ferreira and former Portugal and Benfica forward Nuno Gomes, a close friend of Amorim. Gomes told Portuguese media he could not discuss future plans at Benfica but suggested Amorim could return to the Portuguese club one day.

United's early-season form, their recruitment decisions and tactical approach under Amorim are likely to remain under scrutiny as the calendar fills. Club executives have defended their strategy publicly, yet former players and pundits continue to question whether the squad construction and personnel choices match the demands of the manager's preferred system. With difficult fixtures ahead, tangible improvement in results will be needed to ease the growing pressure on all involved.