Paul Scholes Names Two ‘Brilliant’ Midfielders He Rates Above Declan Rice and Moisés Caicedo
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has once again stirred the football debate, this time revealing that two midfielders, Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, rank above England’s most talked-about duo, Declan Rice and Moisés Caicedo.
The 11-time Premier League champion made his remarks during an appearance on The Overlap, offering an honest glimpse into his personal view of what makes a “complete” midfielder. And, true to form, Scholes didn’t hold back.
“I get slagged off because I did a top five the other week and I don’t put people like Caicedo or Rice because I like a different type of midfielder,” Scholes admitted.
“Vitinha at PSG is brilliant, he is amazing. I thought Mac Allister at Liverpool last year was brilliant. I know he hasn’t started that great this season.”
Scholes’ comments arrive amid a Premier League season dominated by midfield powerhouses. Declan Rice, since his £105 million switch from West Ham to Arsenal, has been instrumental in the Gunners’ push for the title.
Over at Stamford Bridge, Moisés Caicedo, Chelsea’s £115 million signing from Brighton, has also found rhythm, blending defensive steel with surprising attacking instincts, bagging four goals already this campaign.
Yet for Scholes, the value of a midfielder goes beyond stats and goals.
“But I like that more controlling midfielder who can do a bit of everything, not just a defensive one who might score the odd goal. I like the more progressive type.”
The former England international’s appreciation for creativity and control reflects the type of football he once embodied: sharp passing, composure, and vision that dictated tempo rather than merely disrupting play.
Beyond club football, Scholes turned his gaze towards England’s national setup, where questions still linger about midfield balance.
With Jude Bellingham omitted from the latest squad and Kobbie Mainoo still waiting for his first league start of the season, uncertainty reigns.
Elliot Anderson’s emergence has provided some promise, but consistency remains an issue. Injuries to stars like Phil Foden and Cole Palmer have further muddied the picture, leaving England’s midfield options thin ahead of next summer’s World Cup preparations.
“Rice isn’t my type of midfielder,” Scholes continued. “Elliot Anderson has been good. I don’t think we have that type of controlling midfielder who can do everything. We haven’t got a Vitinha, Toni Kroos, or Luka Modric. We don’t have that.
Probably a while ago, Jack Wilshere was the closest to being that type, but a load of injuries stopped him.
I don’t think we have the type who has that game intelligence for when to slow it down, when to fizz it in a center forward, I don’t think it is there.”
It’s classic Scholes, measured yet blunt. His admiration for technical, cerebral midfielders such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić signals the kind of artistry he believes England is still lacking.
And as debates rage over who truly defines the modern midfielder, one thing remains clear: in Scholes’ eyes, flair and football intelligence still reign supreme over brute power.
