Manchester United’s board has stressed repeatedly that the manager will no longer drive the transfer policy, and Ruben Amorim got a taste of the same in the summer transfer window.
It goes without saying that no manager gets everything he wants, all the time, except, maybe Pep Guardiola at Manchester City!
That level of influence is harmful for clubs because the managers might not stay for long, but the club has to keep a certain level of success.
Ruben Amorim found that out in the recently concluded transfer window when he disagreed with Ineos over a key transfer and lost the battle.
Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa reacts after being shown a red card by Referee Thomas Bramall for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Aston Villa FC at Old Trafford on May 25, 2025
Photo by Marc Atkins – AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
Ruben Amorim and Ineos disagreed over goalkeeper
The wounds of letting Erik ten Hag dictate the transfer policy at Old Trafford run so deep that stripping the manager of deciding transfers unilaterally was Ineos’ first step.
Still, it was expected that Amorim, being Ineos’ own man, would have a larger sway in the market than his predecessor did under the new regime.
However, while that might be true to a certain extent, Amorim is certainly not driving the policy unilaterally, as evidenced by Man United’s goalkeeper chase.
The Athletic report that United signed Senne Lammens, but Amorim’s choice of goalkeeper was Emi Martinez from Aston Villa.
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He valued Martinez’s ‘proven leadership qualities’ and experience at the highest level, something which Lammens can’t provide right away.
United pit Martinez against Lammens on deadline day to get a good deal for themselves, but it’s clear that the club’s interests overruled the manager.
Senne Lammens might win Amorim the war at Man Utd
Amorim has had to concede over arguably the most important position in the Man Utd squad, but it could well be a blessing in disguise.
Martinez is coming off his worst-ever season for Villa, while Lammens has just had a breakout year, albeit in Belgium.
Lammens’ style of play makes him perfect for an Amorim team, and history has shown that the managers don’t always get it right when it comes to transfers.
To borrow a tale from a rival, Jurgen Klopp famously wanted to sign Julian Brandt for Liverpool when the ownership team convinced him that Mohamed Salah is a better option.
The rest is history. Klopp lost that battle but ultimately ended up winning the war, and handsomely so.
Amorim will hope Lammens wins him the war with Man Utd after he lost the battle of convincing the board to sign Martinez instead.