Ruben Amorim has made it clear to four unwanted stars they will NOT be afforded a chance to play their way back into his thinking, with the Manchester United manager taking a hardline stance by confirming once and for all that their Old Trafford careers are over.
Amorim took charge of the north-west giants last November but was unable to oversee an improvement in their fortunes as they slipped to their worst finish in Premier League history, finishing 15th. Having also seen Manchester United put in a tepid display in losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao, the Portuguese coach knows he has an almighty task of restoring the club to their former glories.
Thankfully, the manager will have funds at his disposal this summer and has already drafted in Matheus Cunha in a £62.5m move from Wolves. And while their Bryan Mbeumo hopes still hang in the balance, Amorim is very much focused on strengthening the attack with a No.9 also on their radar this summer.
However, departures this summer will very much be necessary too, with the United boss taking a hardline approach with several unwanted stars.
Three of those – Antony, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford – have just completed loans elsewhere, though are all due to report back for pre-season training in early July, as it stands.
A fourth, in Alejandro Garnacho, has also been cleared to leave this summer after falling out with his manager over his Europa League final omission.
Now any chance the quartet had of playing their way into the manager’s thinking have been extinguished, with the no-nonsense United boss already deciding the four will not be part of their travelling party to either Stockholm to play Leeds United (July 19) or the United States, where they take on West Ham (July 27), Bournemouth (July 31) and Everton (August 3) in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta, respectively.
Stating there is no way back for the quartet, a club source is quoted by The Sun as saying: ‘Amorim is stamping his authority on the club. It was hard arriving mid-season but he now has the opportunity to shape the team in his image. And he’s wasting no time.
‘He only wants players who would die for the shirt and are on board with his ideas.
‘He also wants a smaller squad to create an intimate team bond so that everyone gets enough game time to be at peak fitness when called upon. He doesn’t want any bad apples or distractions.’
READ MORE 🔴⚫ The five Man Utd players most heavily linked with exits this summer
Man Utd transfers: Where next for Garnacho, Antony, Rashford and Sancho?
With the foursome told there is no way back for them at Old Trafford, their agents are working overtime to try and engineer the required moves needed to revive their careers.
And after an encouraging spell away, Antony is arguably the nearest to the exit door after shining on loan with Real Betis.
To that end, United’s hopes of generating a bidding war over unwanted winger Antony are gathering pace after a surprise Serie A side made an approach for his services and with Fabrizio Romano having made clear where the Brazilian sees himself next season.
As for Sancho, he is now wanted in Italy with both Napoli and Juventus seriously looking at moves to sign him. He showed flashes of what he was about during a loan at Chelsea, but not enough to convince the Blues to make his stay permanent. And instead of signing him full-time, Enzo Maresca’s side paid a £5m clause to back out of a permanent deal.
Rashford, meanwhile, is understood to still have ambitions to play for Barcelona and they would be his number one choice if given his pick this summer.
The 27-year-old enjoyed an encouraging spell with Aston Villa over the second half of the season and, despite having an option to make permanent, Rashford will instead explore other, overseas, avenues first.
His chances of a move to Barca, however, do look in doubt after they reached an agreement on personal terms with Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.
As for Garnacho, he is also being linked with Napoli again, though United are understood to have now reduced his asking price further to try and encourage Premier League interest in the Argentine.
Man Utd transfer latest: Mbeumo hopes fade, striker monster heading elsewhere
Meanwhile, United still have a chance to sign Dusan Vlahovic this summer, but will have to act fast to convince the Juventus frontman to move to the Premier League after the Serbian reportedly made clear his plans to join a surprise side instead.
Elsewhere,Amorim looks increasingly likely to face disappointment in his quest to sign Mbeumo amid claims a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur is gathering pace and with Fabrizio Romano explaining how the prospect of Thomas Frank reuniting with the star was discussed “as soon as he signed his contract” at the club.
There is, however, some more positive news after reports in South America revealed when a deal to bring one of a country’s generational talents to Old Trafford will officially go through – and his arrival should see United lock down one position for several years as a result.
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