Paul Scholes believes Manchester United will have no trouble finding his replacement

The 36-year-old retired at the end of last season after spending the entirety of his 17-year career at Old Trafford.

United have been linked with a number of players to replace the midfielder, including Inter’s Wesley Sneijder and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri.

Scholes told the Manchester Evening News: “I don’t think it is a big deal really replacing me because I haven’t been the type of player people are talking about for the last four or five years.

“I haven’t been scoring goals or been the main playmaker in the team for a while. I don’t think I actually need replacing in that way at all.

“I wasn’t the pulling the strings anymore, definitely in the last two years and probably even since I was 31-32. I haven’t been as prominent in the side. I wasn’t scoring the goals and I wasn’t making the goals.”

Scholes made 22 appearances in the Premier League last season and scored one goal, helping the Red Devils to a record 19th league title.

He added: “I think people are obsessed with having to replace me. If you look at the facts over the last couple of years, I haven’t played in the big games. So I don’t think there is that much that needs replacing!

“I am not saying I should have played in those big games because it was the right decision not to play me. I couldn’t cope playing full games and big games like that. Physically, it was too much for me. I think when people are talking about replacing Paul Scholes they are talking about replacing the Paul Scholes of five years ago. I was more prominent then.

“Then I was getting forward and scoring goals. I was making them and playing a big part. But I’ve been playing around 25 games a season since and getting the odd goal here and there.

“Does that need replacing? Essentially the job has been done anyway. Other players have already come in, done the job, and we’ve continued to be successful.”