Manchester United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, concluded last season with remarks filled with optimism.
Ruben Amorim left no room for doubt.
Did he possess a clear vision for the composition of his squad upon Manchester United’s return for pre-season training in July?
“Yes,” he affirmed. “I have a clear idea of what we want.
“As you know, our resources are somewhat limited, and we cannot achieve everything in a single summer. However, we have a distinct picture of our objectives.”
These statements were made just over six weeks ago, as the United manager bid farewell to journalists following the club’s post-season tour of Asia.
With the team now back in training and the first pre-season match against Leeds scheduled for Saturday in Stockholm, it’s reasonable to suggest that the desired clarity has yet to fully materialize.
The five players deemed surplus to requirements, whose departures are crucial to freeing up funds for incoming transfers, remain at the club, although Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, and Tyrrell Malacia are training separately from the main squad.
Only one major addition has been made thus far – Matheus Cunha, a £62.5 million acquisition from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Therefore, what is transpiring behind the scenes, and what are the prospects of Amorim reshaping the squad according to his vision? Might United need to consider selling other players to generate funds?
Antony, Garnacho, Rashford, Malacia, and Sancho are estimated to collectively earn around £1 million per week in wages.
On July 4th, United communicated that the five unwanted players had requested to leave and would not train with the rest of Amorim’s squad. Rashford’s number 10 shirt was subsequently assigned to Cunha.
Since their exile, the most significant development involving the quintet has been the news that they are restricted from accessing United’s Carrington training ground – which they can enter for rehabilitation and medical purposes – until Amorim and his squad have departed for the day.
The members of the so-called ‘bomb squad’ can train together at Carrington if they wish, combining that with work away from the complex, which is nearing completion of a multi-million-pound upgrade. However, as far as Amorim is concerned, their time at the club is over.
This action effectively eliminates any possibility of a repeat of the ‘peace deal’ brokered between Sancho and former manager Erik ten Hag last summer. That agreement saw the England international join United on their tour of the United States before departing for Chelsea on loan.
More importantly, it signals to interested clubs that these players are not wanted, placing United in a weaker negotiating position.
And this presents a significant challenge.
Collectively, Antony, Sancho, and Malacia cost the club over £167 million.
Rashford and Garnacho – both classified as ‘homegrown’ for Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rule purposes – are valued at a combined 95 million euros (£82.34 million), according to transfermarkt.co.uk.
Clearly, Amorim could find productive uses for that capital if those players were sold.
But, thus far, there is no indication of that occurring.
And this aspect is critical.
Those at Old Trafford hope that Bryan Mbeumo’s protracted move from Brentford for more than £60 million is completed before Amorim and his squad embark on their pre-season travels. Beyond that, United will largely rely on player sales to fund further acquisitions.
Rumors have circulated.
Rashford has been linked with Barcelona, which is reportedly his preferred destination.
Sancho with Juventus, although manager Igor Tudor’s primary objective is to secure the permanent signing of Portuguese international Francisco Conceicao, who spent last year on loan from FC Porto.
Real Betis remain hopeful of re-signing Antony after his successful loan spell there during the second half of last season.
Garnacho’s name continues to be mentioned in connection with Chelsea, Napoli, and his former club Atletico Madrid.
Malacia has been suggested as a potential target for Celtic.
However, none of these links have developed into anything concrete.
Rashford and Sancho are among the Premier League’s highest earners. Unless either accepts a pay cut – and there have been no indications either is willing to do so – United will almost certainly have to offer some form of financial incentive to facilitate a permanent transfer or loan agreement.
Antony and Malacia do not command the same level of wages. However, the clubs interested in signing them are not as numerous, suggesting United will face similar challenges with that pair, albeit on a smaller scale.
As for Garnacho, it is difficult to envision any club willing to pay the £60 million fee United initially believed they could command for him this summer.
As the likelihood increases that deals to offload the ‘bomb squad’ will not be completed until closer to the transfer deadline on September 1st, the question arises as to whether United will consider selling other players.
Kobbie Mainoo, like Garnacho, would represent pure profit in the accounts as a homegrown player.
It is worth noting that United have generated more revenue from sell-on clauses in this transfer window than from player sales.
Anthony Elanga’s £55 million move from Nottingham Forest to Newcastle earned the club £6 million.
And the sell-on figure is expected to increase significantly this week.
Defender Alvaro Carreras has now finalized his transfer to Real Madrid from Benfica. United will receive 20% of any sale price exceeding £5 million. With a fee of 50 million euros (£43.33 million) reportedly agreed, United stands to receive approximately £7.6 million.
Additionally, Maxi Oyedele’s anticipated 6 million euro (£5.2 million) move from Legia Warsaw to Strasbourg could earn United £2 million, as they hold a 40% sell-on clause on the 20-year-old midfielder from Salford.
Whether that will be sufficient to release funds for further signings remains to be seen.
So, it leaves the question of who else they might have to consider selling.
Kobbie Mainoo is yet to agree to a long-term extension to his contract, which expires in 2027, and Toby Collyer also has two years remaining on the deal he signed in June of last year.
Both contracts include one-year options, so in that sense, United are protected.
However, the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and – eventually – Mbeumo, coupled with captain Bruno Fernandes’ decision to reject summer overtures from the Saudi Pro League, suggest that places in either central midfield or the narrow number 10 roles favored by Amorim will be at a premium. And United already have Casemiro, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte.
Amorim previously stated that he would be able to operate with a smaller squad this season without the added burden of European football.
And, as such, there will be players beyond the ‘bomb squad’ whose futures at Old Trafford are uncertain.
Injuries have undermined the confidence of Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez, who must compete for a place in a defense that includes promising youngsters Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven.
Andre Onana’s pre-season hamstring issue gives Amorim an opportunity to assess his goalkeeping options but, in truth, unless 21-year-old Radek Vitek steps up, the choice will be to stick or twist with the Cameroon international, given that Altay Bayindir was given his chance at the end of last season and failed to impress.
The situation is similar in attack.
The pursuit of Liam Delap, who ultimately chose Chelsea, underscores Amorim’s belief that he can improve upon Rasmus Hojlund.
Viktor Gyokeres, who played for Amorim at Sporting, has also opted against a move to United.
Ollie Watkins, who lost his place at Aston Villa when Rashford arrived from United on loan, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford. So too have out-of-contract pair Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jamie Vardy. These names suggest United might be better off giving Hojlund one more opportunity.
But can Amorim trust that he is ready to fulfill the promise that prompted United to pay Atalanta £72 million for him two years ago?
Hojlund himself has been linked with his former manager Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma.
But, as with so many players, translating vague interest into a concrete deal is not straightforward.
Speaking to fanzine United We Stand last month, chief executive Omar Berrada said the pain of last season’s 15th-placed finish, the worst since the 1973-74 relegation campaign, was self-inflicted in the belief reward would follow.
“He’s suffered in the Premier League, and the team has suffered,” he said.
“But we saw it as an investment for the following seasons, because we were going to give time to Ruben to get to know the squad, the club, the Premier League, so by the time that we got to now, we’ll have had all the discussions about what the squad needs and the two-to-three-year plan to get to a squad that’s capable of winning the Premier League.”
There is still time before the opening Premier League game against Arsenal on August 17th for the clarity Amorim seemed so confident of when speaking in Hong Kong to emerge.
But as of now, the picture remains too unclear for any United supporter to feel confident about what lies ahead.
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