Scholes tells Man Utd to ruthlessly 'sell' five defenders including 20yo wonderkid

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has sparked major debate by urging his former club to offload five first-team defenders this summer.

During a classic “keep or sell” rapid-fire segment on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes made a series of eyebrow-raising calls.

The 51-year-old delivered a ruthless “sell” verdict on eight Man United players. The list included Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee.

The idea of parting ways with five key defenders in a single window feels not only drastic but unrealistic.

Mazraoui had a superb 2024-25 season at United. He was arguably the signing of the season for the club.

He has played sporadically for United this campaign due to multiple injuries and AFCON commitments.

We do not believe that the right-back position is a spot which should be of extremely high concern for United this summer. You can read more about it here: “Do Man United really need a new right-back?“

Harry Maguire has played a pivotal role this campaign. If not for him, United would not have been in this stellar form in 2026.

Scholes took a swipe at Maguire, suggesting the club cannot win the Premier League or the Champions League with him at the heart of defence.

The 33-year-old has faced unjustified criticism throughout his spell at United. To his credit, he has always silenced those critics with his performances on the pitch.

In one of his most surprising calls, Scholes also recommended selling rising defensive star Leny Yoro.

Yoro possesses the attributes to develop into one of the finest centre-backs of his generation, making such a suggestion particularly puzzling.

It seems like the former midfielder wants only those players at the club who are at the peak of their careers. Football does not work like that.

Dorgu and Shaw were the final two defenders on his hit list.

Shaw has been solid throughout this campaign. While concerns over his durability remain valid, his overall quality still makes him a valuable squad asset.

Dorgu is still refining his defensive game but has already showcased exciting attacking potential.

At just 21, he represents a long-term project, and the club would be wise to invest in his development rather than move him on prematurely.

This is far from the first time a former United star has made controversial remarks about the current squad.

The onus is on players to shut the noise and continue showing improvement on the pitch.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .