Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has cast a critical eye over Manchester United's decision to splash out £50 million on Brazilian midfielder Andre Santos from Chelsea.
Despite a strong pre-season showing, the 22-year-old has managed only one start for the Red Devils, appearing in their Premier League opener before being relegated to the bench for the subsequent three matches.
In a recent appearance on The Overlap Daily, Gerrard didn’t hold back, expressing his concerns regarding the current composition of United's midfield:
I’m not convinced that Andre Santos for £50 million is the right signing for Manchester United. To be able to play in midfield for this club every week, you need to be competing for Premier League gold and Champions League trophies. Forget about the lesser cups—this club has prioritised the elite competitions for decades.
Manchester United desperately need world-class midfielders—either established stars or talents who are on the brink of that level. Kobbie Mainoo is a really good player, but he is far from world-class. Santos is decent, but for me, he simply doesn’t have the stature required for Manchester United. He would get torn apart by the midfields of PSG, Real Madrid or Barcelona in decisive Champions League quarter-finals or semi-finals. He lacks the class. Youri Tielemans is a solid player, but the only world-class performer in there is Bruno Fernandes, and he’s absolutely isolated in that midfield.
Building on his argument, the former Merseyside captain drew comparisons with legendary sides from past decades, against whom he famously faced off:
I played against Michael Carrick, who was often underrated, but he was top-class. Roy Keane was a world-class player. Paul Scholes was world-class. Ryan Giggs, when he moved into the centre, was world-class. David Beckham and Wayne Rooney dropping deep to overload the midfield were unquestionable world-class talents. The current midfield of Manchester United is light years away from those standards.
