Manchester United’s summer was always going to be a major rebuild job, desperately needing to support Ruben Amorim.
After a disastrous 2024/25 season that saw them slump to a shocking 15th-place finish in the Premier League, there was little doubt about the scale of the work ahead.
Yet as pre-season kicks off, Ruben Amorim already has the right to be furious with the club.
United have completed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves, but beyond that, transfer progress has stalled.
Amorim knows he needs a big summer to turn things around.
If he doesn’t get it, his job could be under serious pressure.
The Mbeumo deal is dragging, key targets haven’t arrived, and with pre-season already underway, Amorim has every right to become increasingly concerned that United are running out of time to prepare.
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One Summer Signing
Amorim had made it clear to the board before the season ended that he wanted his key signings in before pre-season.
He wanted a full summer to assess, train, and drill the squad.
So far, he’s only been given one reinforcement in Cunha — a player he specifically requested, but it’s far from enough.
Manchester United are still negotiating for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, but the deal has dragged on for weeks.
Amorim had identified Mbeumo as a key option to stretch play and give Cunha space to operate centrally, but talks have been slow.
With pre-season already underway, Amorim is working with the same group of underperforming players who struggled last season.
United have been linked with multiple positions – a wing back, a new midfielder, another number 10 and a striker.
But those targets haven’t materialised.
Amorim may feel let down by the lack of urgency.
For a club that looked broken last year, he would have expected a summer of decisive action.
Instead, there has been hesitation.
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Outgoings
As important as signings are, Manchester United also need a significant clear-out.
The club is bloated with players who no longer fit – either tactically or culturally.
With many of them on high wages.
Ruben Amorim has been clear: he wants them gone.
Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho were all expected to leave this summer, along with several other underperforming or surplus players.
Some were earmarked for sale due to attitude issues, others simply don’t suit Amorim’s system.
But with pre-season underway, there has been no meaningful movement on outgoings.
This lack of sales is a growing concern.
Not only does it limit squad space and wage flexibility, but it may also be blocking transfers in.
Amorim knows that if he’s to stand any chance of a proper rebuild, the clear-out must be swift and efficient.
Right now, it’s anything but.
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The System
Amorim’s 3-4-3 system is complex.
It requires cohesion, positional discipline, but simultaneously fluid movement.
He has been vocal that he won’t abandon his principles, even in the Premier League, but that conviction only works if he has the right tools and enough time to prepare.
Since he first arrived, Amorim has had a plan – structure first, then fluidity – but he needs his full squad early to make it work.
Every day without new arrivals is a lost coaching day.
Amorim has stressed that preseason is about more than fitness – it’s the only period in the calendar when he can implement deep tactical work without the pressure of weekly matches.
He sees this time as critical to fixing what went wrong last year.
If United continue to delay, they risk entering the season with an undercooked squad.
If results don’t come early, Amorim knows exactly what follows: pressure, scrutiny, and potentially, the sack.
For a manager who thrives on preparation and tactical detail, the current situation is not just frustrating – it’s unacceptable.
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