'It feels the wrong way round!' - Jamie Carragher slams Man Utd for backward Youri Tielemans transfer after missing out on Tottenham star

Carragher has expressed serious doubts over Man United’s decision to sign Tielemans, suggesting the transfer feels like it has happened in the wrong order. The Belgian international completed a £35m move to Old Trafford from Aston Villa last month, signing a five-year deal to become a key part of Carrick’s midfield revolution.

Speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Carragher explained his confusion regarding the career path Tielemans has taken. The former Liverpool defender stated: "The thing with Tielemans, I was watching the [UEFA] Super Cup [between PSG and Aston Villa] and I’d just seen that Man United were on ITV playing Leeds, so I put it on.

"It just came to me a little bit - Tielemans was taking a corner, and it come to me, he’s a good player, don’t get me wrong. But you’d almost feel like he should have been at United a few years ago, then gone to Villa – not being at Villa, then gone to United.

"‘I’m not saying he’s had his best days, but it almost felt like the wrong way round. The last three years should have been at United, and then he gets sold to Villa."

The former England defender was equally critical of United’s failure to secure Mateus Fernandes, who instead joined Tottenham Hotspur in a blockbuster deal. While United held talks with West Ham regarding the Portuguese star, they eventually balked at the £85m asking price, allowing their London rivals to swoop in.

Carragher detailed his surprise at United's lack of aggression in the market for the youngster, saying: "I was a little bit worried when I saw United linked with Fernandes because I thought that could be a good signing. I just looked at him and his age and was surprised United didn’t go for Fernandes.

"They said it was too expensive but was it that expensive? I know £85m is a lot but you’re never going to get a really top midfielder now for £50m."

Under Carrick’s guidance, United have made significant efforts to rebuild their engine room following the departure of veteran enforcer Casemiro at the end of last season. The acquisition of Andrey Santos was seen as a major statement, yet the subsequent addition of Tielemans has divided opinion.

Despite the influx of new faces, club legend Paul Scholes believes the business is not yet finished. Scholes suggested that the squad still lacks depth in critical defensive and central areas if they are to truly challenge for the Premier League title.

Supporting the idea that United might still be short, Scholes highlighted where the club should look next before the transfer window shuts. "A priority position for United... think of a position where it’s needed most," Scholes noted. "We’ve got players who can cover the forward areas - I think [Matheus] Cunha can play centre-forward, and [Bryan] Mbeumo can play centre-forward. And you’ve still got - I don’t know what’s going to happen with Marcus Rashford, but again, there’s another option in that area. I still think either centre-half or central midfielder is a priority.”

As the Red Devils prepare for their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Hull City this Saturday, the debate over their summer spending continues to rumble. Whether Tielemans can prove Carragher wrong and show that he is indeed an upgrade for the modern United side remains to be seen.