Scholes divulges behind-the-scenes comment from Wilcox that was a ‘big concern’, it ‘stuck’ with him

Posted Jan 6 2026, 13:50 by Isabel Ryan

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Paul Scholes has disclosed a comment from Jason Wilcox that he heard last year and deemed it a ‘big concern’.

Speaking on ‘The Good, The Bad & The Football’ podcast with former teammate Nicky Butt and comedian Paddy McGuinness, Scholes recounted an exchange between Manchester United’s Sporting Director and a pundit he’d been working alongside.

“One big concern I have over Jason Wilcox,” Scholes began. “I was doing a TV game last year, one of the Europa League games, and the person who I was with on the TV actually bumped into Wilcox and [he] said, ‘I don’t think we’re far away, you know. I think we could be three or four players away from being a really top team.’

“Now… that stuck in my head. I thought, ‘F*****g hell, it doesn’t feel like that to me!”

This is what Paul Scholes heard Jason Wilcox said behind-the-scenes…. 👀😳 pic.twitter.com/gWgWDGpnbV

— The Good, The Bad & The Football (@goodbadftblpod) January 6, 2026

How did INEOS and Wilcox back Ruben Amorim before 2025/2026?

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

United were, of course, eventually defeated in the UEL final following a dismal display against Tottenham Hotspur in the final in Bilbao.

The subsequent summer, Wilcox and the INEOS hierarchy bolstered Ruben Amorim’s ranks with over £200 million worth of signings.

Most notably, Amorim was granted an entirely new frontline in the form of Benjamin Sesko (£73.7m including add-ons), Bryan Mbeumo (£70m) and Matheus Cunha (£62.5m).

Lacklustre showings from Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana in the first month of the season then prompted the board to pursue a new shot-stopper, with Senne Lammens eventually signing from Royal Antwerp on deadline day.

Why Amorim was already displeased before the season began

Ruben Amorim looking dejected — (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Reports have suggested that, of the quarter of senior arrivals, Amorim was displeased that Wilcox and Co. had decided to pursue Sesko over a more experienced and Premier League-proven centre-forward like Ollie Watkins.

Amorim is now undoubtedly feeling aggrieved that his demands weren’t accounted for, given how United’s fortunes may have changed with a prolific frontman like Watkins leading the line over the young and struggling Sesko, who’s returned two goals in 17 appearances across all competitions.