Manchester United legend and former midfielder Paul Scholes, known for his candid opinions, didn’t hold back when discussing what he considers to be the club’s worst signing in recent history. Scholes made these remarks during a conversation on The Overlap’s Fan Debate, where he expressed his views on some of the club’s most controversial transfers.
In the discussion, Scholes dismissed the popular belief that Antony, United’s £85 million signing from Ajax, was the club’s biggest flop. Despite the Brazilian winger facing considerable criticism since his arrival at Old Trafford in 2022, particularly regarding his inconsistency and lack of impact on the pitch, Scholes had a different player in mind when it came to the title of the club’s worst signing.
Scholes pointed the finger at a former teammate, goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, who rejoined Manchester United in 1999 after a successful stint at Aston Villa. Bosnich was initially brought back to the club to fill the void left by the departure of Peter Schmeichel, one of the greatest goalkeepers in the club’s history. However, according to Scholes, Bosnich’s return did not go as planned.
While Bosnich arrived at Manchester United with a strong reputation as a talented goalkeeper, Scholes revealed that the Australian’s lack of professionalism and poor fitness levels shocked the team. He explained that Bosnich’s physical condition and attitude were far below the standards expected at a club like Manchester United.
“Bosnich came to us so unprofessional. Honestly, it was ridiculous,” Scholes remarked, highlighting his disappointment with the goalkeeper’s approach to training and matches. Scholes went on to criticize Bosnich’s inability to endure even the most basic shooting practices, which are a fundamental part of a goalkeeper’s routine. He emphasized that Bosnich struggled with a glaring flaw in his game that became apparent during his time at the club.
“He couldn’t kick a football,” Scholes bluntly stated, recounting an incident from Bosnich’s first game of the season against Everton. Scholes described how, despite the perfect weather conditions, Bosnich was unable to kick the ball past the halfway line, a task that any professional goalkeeper should be able to perform with ease. This incident, according to Scholes, epitomized Bosnich’s struggles at the club and contributed to his downfall as a Manchester United player.
Adding a touch of humor to his critique, Scholes even mentioned Bosnich’s unusually large feet, describing them as “big flippers” that hampered his performance on the pitch. Scholes suggested that the size of Bosnich’s feet may have contributed to his difficulties with kicking the ball accurately and effectively, further compounding the goalkeeper’s problems during his time at the club.