Scholes reveals two Man Utd signings Van Nistelrooy ‘wouldn’t have picked’
Man Utd legend Paul Scholes insists Red Devils assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy should have been consulted over two signings.
Van Nistelrooy was brought in as one of Erik ten Hag’s new assistant managers over the summer with the Dutchman receiving some fresh help after a tough 2023/24 season.
Ten Hag is coming under pressure after Man Utd won just two of their opening six Premier League matches of the season with the Red Devils sitting in 12th.
Van Nistelrooy has been linked with potentially taking over from Ten Hag if Man Utd decide to take action in the near future and sack the Dutchman.
And former Man Utd team-mate Scholes doubts Van Nistelrooy would have let the Red Devils sign Joshua Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund if he had been consulted.
Scholes said on Supersport: “Coaches are control freaks, they want to do everything. If you were Ruud watching that, he is maybe thinking, ‘I will take a back seat, I don’t want to get involved in that’.
“He also has to be involved in the recruitment side of it, signing a centre forward. Or two centre forwards. ‘Ruud, who do you think?’ I am not sure he would have picked Zirkzee. I am not sure he would have picked Hojlund.
“Look, there is probably not a plethora of centre forwards out there. But you go consult him, wouldn’t’ you?”
A number of managers have been linked with the possibility of taking over from Ten Hag if Man Utd choose to sack him in the coming weeks.
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And ex-Man Utd assistant manager Rene Meulensteen reckons former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel would be a great candidate for the job.
Meulensteen told BoyleSports: “Thomas Tuchel is a strong character and a strong personality, I think he has a clear idea of how he wants to play and I think he could deal with managing a huge club like Manchester United.
“Messages from managers need to be conveyed to the team very, very loud and very, very clearly and he is the sort of person and character that could handle a club the size of Manchester United.
“He has managed huge clubs and he knows what the Premier League is all about, the only interesting factor is why things didn’t progress after he spoke to the club last summer. Maybe he had a few questions that weren’t answered.
“Manchester United is only about one thing. It’s competing for the biggest trophies and that includes the Premier League and doing well as they can in the Champions League, Tuchel has shown in the past that he can win trophies.”
On Van Nistelrooy being a candidate, Meulensteen added: “Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty going for him when it comes to potentially taking over at Old Trafford.
“He knows the club, he knows the expectations of the club and he’s strong-willed with a very strong personality.
“The key is to make sure that you can focus on the most important aspects which are getting the team playing for you, then when things calm down you can do your best work.
“When the performances are not going your way then the scrutiny becomes so big. You need to create a strong culture with the players and the staff if you’re going to be a success.
“Ruud could have a big dilemma on his hands, if the club asked him to step in to replace Erik ten Hag.
“He knows what the club is like and he knows how to create a winning team like he did at PSV, but he will have loyalty to Ten Hag as all coaches should for the manager.
“Obviously it wouldn’t be easy and you wouldn’t jump into that situation without thinking about it, but stranger things have happened in football.”
