Fabregas was heavily linked to United again this summer but snubbed a move to Old Trafford in favour of a Chelsea switch, meanwhile Toni Kroos joined European champions, Real Madrid.
Scholes was a member of the United coaching staff while interim boss Ryan Giggs was in charge and he was reportedly asked about potential midfield signings but was left baffled by the Red Devils’ decision to not actively pursue them.
In his column for the Independent, he said: “In the few weeks at the end of last season when I was part of Ryan Giggs’ coaching team at Manchester United, I was asked my opinion on whether the club should sign Cesc Fabregas or Toni Kroos this summer.
“I thought there was only one response to that difficult choice between two great players. I said United should sign them both.
“I do not know what happened to the Kroos and Fabregas deals over the summer. The club were originally working on both of them. Perhaps the deal could not be done in the end.
“Either way, the situation now, with 11 days of the transfer window left, has become increasingly urgent for my former club. They have to sign some quality players.”
Despite already seeing some new faces into the club this summer such as Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo, Scholes still feels that United need a major overhaul of the midfield and adding experience is necessary.
“What do United need? Five players. Not five players with potential. Five experienced players… for now,” he went on to say.
“Five proper players who can hit the ground running and turn the situation around. United’s forwards are as good as any team in the league. The problem is what comes behind them.
“My five would be: Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira, Raphael Varane, Angel Di Maria and Mats Hummels. It would be one very big cheque for Real Madrid, given that four of them would come from that club.
“It would be hard to land them all. But that is the level that United need at this stage of the transfer window.”
By Phil Wellbrook
