Carrick worked well with Scholes, but I do think mobile players in midfield is becoming a requirement now as other teams have plenty of them. Sneijder plays in front of two midfielders that do the donkey work at inter, but we don't really have the same options in midfield.
Italian football is far more defensive though to be honest; nearly every team play like that. I'm waiting till we sign him and play him for a while before I'd be making any judgement. Best midfielder we could sign bar the genuine artists at Barcelona