Paul Scholes has publicly disagreed with Wayne Rooney over Manchester City's potential punishment for financial rule breaches, declaring he wants his Premier League medal from the 2011-12 season.
Manchester City face being stripped of the nine trophies they won between 2009 and 2018, a period in which an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them in February 2023. City have appealed the decision and continue to strongly deny all charges.
Scholes takes to Instagram
The former Manchester United midfielder posted on Instagram: "Keep hearing ex-teammates saying they want trophies taking (sic) off them but they don't want their medals... fuck that I'm a greedy bastard I want my medal."
Rooney, however, said he would not feel comfortable accepting a medal from that season, in which United finished second to City in a title race that went down to the final day.
Rooney's stance
Speaking on the Stick To United podcast, United's all-time top goalscorer said: "I have heard Rio has come out saying about getting another Premier League medal... I wouldn't really feel comfortable accepting another Premier League medal, if I'm being honest.
"I don't think we deserve it, we didn't do enough that season to win the league. I think we were six or seven points clear with four or five games to go and we threw it away."
Rooney added that he would be "absolutely devastated" if he were in a City player's position, noting that players are "doing everything they can to try and win the Premier League title and in their mind they have done it." He concluded: "I'm happy with the five I've won. I wouldn't want this one. Should they get it stripped for what the owners have done? Yeah maybe, but I wouldn't feel comfortable accepting it."
Scholes's former team-mates Rio Ferdinand and David de Gea have also indicated they would accept medals if offered.
