London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Paul Scholes urges Man Utd to sign World Cup star and Chelsea target

Paul Scholes urges Man Utd to sign World Cup star and Chelsea target

Paul Scholes has had his say on Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United and named two players his former club could sign to replace the Portugal striker.

United announced last week that Ronaldo, 37, had been released with immediate effect.

The decision comes after Ronaldo, one of the greatest players of all time, gave a controversial interview to Piers Morgan in which he criticised Manchester United and said he had ‘no respect’ for Erik ten Hag.

Ronaldo completed a sensational return to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 and scored 24 goals in 38 appearances last season.

Manchester United will look to replace Ronaldo when the January transfer window opens and Scholes has named Cody Gakpo and Christopher Nkunku as two possible targets.

United are one of a number of clubs who have expressed interest in signing PSV star Gakpo, who has scored 16 goals this season, including three in three games for Netherlands at the Qatar World Cup.

RB Leipzig and France forward Nkunku, meanwhile, has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United’s Premier League rivals Chelsea.


Ronaldo is looking for a new club after leaving Old Trafford

Asked who United could sign as they plan for life without Ronaldo, Scholes told MUTV’s The Debate: ‘I think there’s a couple of forwards they might look at.

‘The kid at RB Leipzig that’s been linked with Chelsea, Nkunku. Centre forward is obviously the big position that needs filling.

‘We have Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford who can both play there, but I think Marcus prefers being out wide and Antony’s injury record isn’t great.

‘January might be too soon [to replace Ronaldo], they’re probably looking at next summer now, but I do think there are players out there.

PSV forward Cody Gakpo has been superb at the World Cup


‘The lad at PSV – Gakpo – is doing really well for Netherlands at the World Cup and I think Ten Hag has been really interested in him before.

‘There’s players out there for sure. January can be a tough window to do business but I hope we can do something and bring in a new centre forward.’

Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United last summer after the club failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League.

The Portuguese legend did not get his way and has endured a turbulent few months at Old Trafford, culminating in an explosive interview with TalkTV presenter Morgan.

Discussing Ronaldo’s departure, Scholes added: ‘It was probably the right time. I think we could have come to the decision without so much stress.

‘But you’re talking about the biggest club in the world and probably the biggest player ever so there’s always going to be that spotlight on them both.

‘We look back now and it’s best for both parties. Ten Hag will be happy, it gives him that bit of breathing space now because he hasn’t got that superstar he has to deal with and he concentrate on the players he’s got.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×