Jamie Carragher has publicly questioned Manchester United's decision to sign Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m, arguing that the club should have instead matched Tottenham Hotspur's £85m valuation for midfielder Mateus Fernandes. The Liverpool legend and former England defender expressed his concerns on The Overlap, suggesting that United missed an opportunity to secure a younger, potentially more impactful player.
Carragher's Critique of United's Transfer Business
Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher revealed his initial worry when United were linked with Fernandes, believing the Portuguese midfielder would have been an excellent addition. “I was a little bit worried when I saw United linked with Fernandes because I thought that could be a good signing,” he said. “I just looked at him and his age and was surprised United didn’t go for Fernandes. They said it was too expensive but was it that expensive? I know £85m is a lot but you’re never going to get a really top midfielder now for £50m.”
United had held talks with West Ham over a deal for Fernandes but ultimately withdrew from the race due to the £85m asking price. Instead, the club completed a £35m transfer for Tielemans, who signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford last month, following the £50m acquisition of Andrey Santos from Chelsea. These moves came after Casemiro's departure at the end of last season, which left a gap in the midfield that manager Michael Carrick prioritized filling.
Tielemans: A Player Out of Sync
Carragher also offered a nuanced critique of Tielemans, suggesting that his career trajectory seems reversed. “The thing with Tielemans, I was watching the Super Cup and I’d just seen that Man United were on ITV playing Leeds, so I put it on,” Carragher explained. “It just came to me a little bit – Tielemans was taking a corner, and it come to me, he’s a good player, don’t get me wrong. But you’d almost feel like he should have been at United a few years ago, then gone to Villa – not being at Villa, then gone to United. I’m not saying he’s had his best days, but it almost felt like the wrong way round. The last three years should have been at United, and then he gets sold to Villa.”
Carragher's comments highlight a broader debate about United's recruitment strategy, especially as the club aims to close the gap on Manchester City and Arsenal while returning to the Champions League this season.
Scholes Calls for Further Reinforcements
Paul Scholes, another Manchester United legend, has echoed the need for additional signings, suggesting that a third midfielder or a centre-half should still be a priority before the transfer window closes. “That’s a priority position for United,” Scholes said. “We’ve got players who can cover the forward areas – I think [Matheus] Cunha can play centre-forward, and [Bryan] Mbeumo can play centre-forward. And you’ve still got – I don’t know what’s going to happen with Marcus Rashford, but again, there’s another option in that area. So I still think either centre-half or central midfielder is a priority before the end of the window.”
United are set to face newly-promoted Hull City in their Premier League opener on Saturday, where Carrick will hope his revamped midfield can deliver a strong start to the season.
