Paul Scholes believes that Manchester United made significant errors by not securing the signings of well-known and high-quality players like Declan Rice and Harry Kane.

In Glasgow, Scotland, on September 12, 2023, Harry Kane of England and his teammate Declan Rice celebrated together after Kane scored the third goal for their team in the 150th Anniversary Heritage Match against Scotland at Hampden Park.

Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand, who are renowned as Manchester United legends, expressed their disapproval towards the club for not actively pursuing the signings of Declan Rice and Harry Kane during the summer transfer period. Both players ultimately made significant transfers to Arsenal and Bayern Munich, departing from West Ham and Tottenham, respectively. Scholes holds the belief that it would have been a straightforward task for Manchester United to attract the England pair to join their team at Old Trafford. During an interview with TNT Sports prior to The Red Devils’ crucial match against Bayern Munich, Scholes conveyed his dissatisfaction with the club’s recruitment efforts this year.

As per Scholes’ perspective, there would have been no hesitation in acquiring Harry Kane for £100 million and Declan Rice for an equal amount. He stressed the significance of procuring players who possess a proven level of skill and also possess an understanding of both the club and the country. Scholes also brought up the difficulties Andre Onana has faced since his move to Manchester United from Inter Milan. Nevertheless, he thinks that the potential impact of Rice and Kane would have been so significant that it would have overshadowed any initial difficulties for the Cameroonian goalkeeper.

Ferdinand echoed Scholes’ thoughts, stressing the importance of having a strong character, resilience, and a deep understanding of the Premier League at Manchester United. He believes that Rice and Kane possess these qualities and would have brought a stabilizing influence to the team.

Ferdinand commended the performances of Rice and Kane at their new clubs, expressing that they have emerged as the top players in their respective teams. According to him, Manchester United’s current squad would have witnessed remarkable improvement if their leadership and talent were brought on board.

In general, Scholes and Ferdinand conveyed their discontent with Manchester United’s recruitment choices and are of the opinion that acquiring Rice and Kane would have considerably bolstered the team.