Manchester United are setting up for a monumental summer, their first under Ruben Amorim, and the team’s direction is clear.
The question of Erik ten Hag and his long-term future hovered over the team last summer even though he signed a one-year extension since he wasn’t Ineos‘ man.
With Ruben Amorim in town, there is clarity over the profile of players needed, and positions that need to be strengthened, but most importantly, the manager and the ownership group seem to be on the same page.
Except for the key summer target it seems, who is already unlikely to sign due to a point of clash between Amorim’s desire and Ineos’ vision.
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Viktor Gyokeres’ Man Utd transfer chase hits a snag
Man Utd have a clear need in the summer for a proven and prolific goalscorer who can add a much-needed dose of ruthlessness to an ailing team.
Who better to do that than the player who’s scored 77 goals in 85 games the last two seasons and is already used to playing under Amorim?
Viktor Gyokeres seemed like a no-brainer target for United in the summer window, with Amorim such a fan he would have welcomed him in January too!
With that being impossible, all eyes were on him for the summer, with Sporting willing to sell at a very respectable figure of about £63 million.
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However, The Athletic reports that Gyokeres is now unlikely to join United for two reasons.
First is that United might miss out on the Champions League, which they can still qualify for by winning the Europa League.
The second is harder to understand, and could be a bone of contention between the Man Utd manager and Ineos because United are reluctant to splurge on a player who they believe is already too old at the age of 27!
Ineos going too far the other way at Man Utd
Ineos’ strategy of going for project players instead of saddling themselves with high-earning and underperforming players is a necessary pivot.
However, with this stance on Gyokeres, they might be going too far toward the other extreme, with the Man Utd squad already having too many project players.
Even at the striker position, Rasmus Hojlund is raw while Joshua Zirkzee’s playing style is that of a reluctant striker.
To add another project striker who’s raw and needs to develop under the intense glare of Old Trafford doesn’t seem like the ideal way to go about it just because Ineos’ philosophy is to buy young.
After years of accumulating unnecessary problems by signing short-term fixes, Ineos need to avoid going too far the other way. Gyokeres should be the No. 1 target.