Wayne Rooney has named Luke Shaw as a player Manchester United cannot rely on ahead of the new Premier League season.
The former United captain raised concerns about Shaw and the squad's midfield depth during the first episode of his new club-focused podcast, Stick to United, alongside co-host Mark Goldbridge.
The warning follows United's 4-2 defeat against Italian side AC Milan, managed by former Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim, in their final pre-season friendly.
United open their Premier League campaign against Hull on Saturday in what will be Michael Carrick's first competitive match as permanent manager.
Defending and midfield concerns
YouTube star Goldbridge delivered a harsh assessment of Shaw's performance against AC Milan, claiming the left-back was at fault for the loss.
"I thought Luke Shaw was at fault for all four goals," Goldbridge said on the podcast. "Thought we had a terrible game and I don't think he can play two games a week and then Andrey Santos goes off, you play Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo and there's no legs and there's no defensive capability."
Goldbridge added: "I sort of think, if I'm Michael Carrick, I'm light at left back, I'm light in the midfield."
Rooney acknowledged that Shaw struggled in the friendly match, despite having a strong campaign previously.
"I thought he had a really good season last season, but he didn't have the best game against AC Milan," Rooney said. "So, I don't think you can rely on Luke Shaw to be consistent for the whole season."
Transfer targets and midfield size
To resolve the left-back issue, Rooney urged United to pursue Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly before the transfer window closes.
"I know we're hearing that he's available for not much money," Rooney said. "I think it's an absolute no-brainer. I think if you can get a player who can play left back, he can play centre midfield. He's young. He's got a massive future ahead of him. I think that's absolute no-brainer if you can bring him in."
Rooney also warned that Carrick's options in central midfield lack the necessary physical stature and pace to compete effectively in the Premier League.
"I think if you look at Tielemans, you look at Mainoo, you look at Santos, they're all small lads, there's not much pace among the three of them," Rooney explained.
He urged the club to sign a physically imposing player to bolster the middle of the pitch. "I don't know who this player is, but I'd like to see some physicality in the middle of the pitch," Rooney said. "A big box-to-box midfield player who can break up play, can drive with the ball, can see a pass, but ultimately he's got to be in that middle of the pitch and you've got that physicality."
Although he did not name a specific target for United to sign, Rooney suggested that Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana fits "that profile of player" the team requires.
Squad building before the deadline
The transfer window remains open until September 1, and Carrick has already publicly called on the club's ownership group, Ineos, to bolster the squad.
Speaking last week, Carrick emphasized the need for fresh signings to ensure United can compete at the highest level this season.
"We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that," Carrick said. "Money's money, I get that. We feel like we have to be pushing for everything we're involved in, while being realistic of what the recent history's looked like over a period of time."
Carrick concluded: "For now, we've got to make the most of it, but we've got to push every boundary we can to be able to win again, basically. That's the challenge."
