Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford have had the (dis)honour of being Ruben Amorim’s examples of ruthlessness at Manchester United, but a bigger example could unfold now.
The unwanted, or for-sale four of Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jadon Sancho have regularly been tipped as the ones who will, in an ideal world, supplement Man Utd’s transfer budget.
While Rashford and Garnacho were examples of Ruben Amorim setting the standards, Sancho’s story at United was over far before Amorim arrived.
Antony has been a model professional, so granting him a move is more of a favour than ruthlessness. But what about a player who’s repeatedly said he wants to stay, only to be shown the door?
Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United celebrate Hojlund's goal by taking a selfie
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim’s most ruthless decision at Man Utd yet to come
So far, the modus operandi under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford has been crystal clear, which has benefitted the players.
Work hard, apply yourself, remain professional, and regardless of what has gone on previously, you will get a chance to redeem yourself.
Casemiro can testify to it, even Garnacho could before he burned it all up over a solitary Europa League final. At the other end of the spectrum, Rashford is an example.
However, Amorim’s most ruthless bit of decision-making will be seen with a player Erik ten Hag once termed a “fighter”, Rasmus Hojlund.
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Reports have linked Hojlund with an exit, with the possibility of him leaving “more likely than not”. It comes just days after Hojlund said he wants to stay.
Not only that, but the striker has been a model professional. He trains hard, isn’t problematic for the dressing room, is ever-present, and is a favourite of his teammates.
United’s latest stance on Hojlund is Amorim’s most ruthless decision yet, precisely for those reasons.
No amount of green flags off the pitch will save you if you haven’t shown to be good enough on it. Amorim backed Hojlund countless times during the season, but his ruthlessness is on full display now.
Rasmus Hojlund is a wake-up call for the squad
So far, United have been pretty relaxed about their outgoings as the promise of a Sporting-like rebuild hasn’t solidified in reality.
The club have been happy to wait it out and listen to offers for players who have no future at the club, instead of upgrading on players who haven’t really burned any bridges.
The call on Hojlund breaks that trend in a big way. If he is sold, it will be a wake-up call to the rest of the squad that just being good professionals is not a green flag anymore; it’s a basic necessity.
They need to add quality on the pitch and prove their worth if they want to stay on top of being model professionals, which is how a squad should be constructed.
The talks of exits from United so far were limited to a select few who had become outsiders. Hojlund is the first example of a player being pushed to the outside against his desperate wishes.
It’s the most ruthless decision yet.