Manchester United Transfer News: Paul Scholes Urges Toni Kroos Approach

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has urged the club to launch a move for Real Madrid star Toni Kroos as a replacement for veteran midfielder Michael Carrick.

The latter has been a loyal and productive servant for the Red Devils for years, but at the age of 35, he can't be counted on as a long-term option in midfield.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Speaking to German publication Kicker (h/t Sports Joe's Robert Redmond), Scholes said he'd love the club to target Kroos as his replacement. When asked who he would choose, he said: "I really like Toni Kroos. When I neared the end of my career, I followed him closely and tried to play like Kroos. I was a midfielder with an eye for the goal, but Kroos is one of the best midfield masterminds in the world. Kroos would be perfect at United next to [Paul] Pogba and Ander Herrera."

Power Sport Images/Getty Images

Per the report, the 27-year-old was a target for the Mancunians back in 2014 and nearly signed with the Red Devils. He opted to move to Real Madrid instead and has been a smash hit since arriving at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Kroos is a perfect partner for Luka Modric, thanks to his impressive passing range, vision and work rate, and he's also worked himself into the role of primary corner-kick taker. The former Bayern Munich man is comfortable as a holding midfielder or in an attacking role, but he's at his best when he's free to roam all over the centre of the pitch.

As shared by Marca, his passing is his most impressive tool:

All those passes tend to lead to goals as well, via La Liga's official Twitter account:

There is little doubt Kroos' composure on the ball would go well with Pogba's raw scoring ability in United's midfield, and Herrera could act as the glue that keeps things together, as he's the most active defender of the three.

Kroos isn't as effective a defender as Carrick, but his ability to distribute and pick out team-mates making runs up the pitch would free up Pogba to focus on scoring even more.

Here's a look at some of the German's top highlights:

Kroos is usually one of the first names on the Real Madrid team sheet, and while manager Zinedine Zidane has given Croatian youngster Mateo Kovacic a bigger role this season, there's no reason to believe he would sanction a sale of the German at any price.

The player himself has yet to give any indication he's looking for a way out of the Spanish capital, either. Kroos might be a dream signing for the Red Devils, but as of right now, a move seems highly unlikely.