Ruben Amorim has been handed assurances that he is the right man to lead Manchester United into the new era after Omar Berrada silenced speculation his job was already coming under threat – with the chief executive also naming the other man he feels can lead the Red Devils into a bright new era.
The north-west giants will complete 13 seasons since they last won a Premier League title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year at the helm. And while there have been a couple of second-placed finishes in that time, they have never really looked like truly recapturing their former glories. Earlier this season – on November 11, to be precise – Manchester United turned to their sixth permanent manager since the legendary Scot’s retirement, with Amorim the latest to be asked to mastermind their renaissance.
However, any early manager bounce the Red Devils may have been hoping for has not materialised, with the Portuguese winning just 10 of his 26 games in charge so far, giving him a dire win percentage record of just 38.46%.
Worse yet, the dissatisfaction among the players at the 3-4-2-1 formation Amorim insists on playing has seen speculation rise that maybe the 40-year-old is not the best fit for the club.
Nonetheless, chief executive Omar Berrada has emphatically dismissed all talk that Amorim’s job is under threat and has backed the style in which he is trying to impose on the club.
“I’m an optimist by nature and, as hard as the current situation is on the pitch, I do think that in Ruben and in [technical director] Jason [Wilcox], we have the right people to lead the men’s side, in terms of our football planning for the next years.
“Ruben has a very clear identity of how he wants to see the team playing. He’s working extremely hard with the coaching staff and the wider staff around Carrington to get us to a position where the team can perform better.
“But we have seen progress over the last few weeks. Perhaps it hasn’t translated into wins, which is what we all want to see, but we do have the confidence that we have the right people in place and that we’re going on a journey that’s going to take us back to the top.”
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Man Utd need a big summer as Berrada discusses transfer plans
Part of the reason for United’s struggles has been the squad the Portuguese has inherited, with many feeling his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, failed to rectify several key shortcomings in the most recent transfer window.
As a result, speculation has arisen that Amorim too can’t believe the lack of quality that exists in the squad, with one damning report even suggesting he ‘regrets taking the job’.
Nonetheless, Amorim is focused on the matter in hand and he will hope the club find the means to back him this summer as he looks to mould the squad in his way and surrounding himself with players better equipped to operate in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
However, United will need to play the market carefully and the sacrifice of one or two big names – with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho potential options – an option to further generate some much-needed funds.
With the club carefully making sure they don’t breach the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has indicated they have come close to), several more high-earning stars, like Casemiro, will likely be shown the door.
Berrada himself admits getting the summer window right will be key to any resurgence next season and he is backing Wilcox and United’s recently-appointed director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, to furnish Amorim with the players he needs.
“We need to make sure that we get our recruitment right, and I have full confidence in Jason and the team to do that. We need to improve our capabilities in certain areas, for example, in data analytics,” Berrada added.
Man Utd transfer latest: Atalanta star eyed; Argentine duo linked
United know they will need to offload players to help fund any summer spree, but they have an early setback after it was claimed that an upcoming transfer believed to be set in stone could collapse, and a ‘significant penalty’ will be paid if aborted, according to a report.
United have a history of wasting money on signings in recent years and now one former star has claimed one £55m man is the ‘worst in the history of football’ branding his time at the club as a ‘catastrophe’.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are reported to have put Atalata star Ederson right at the top of their summer wishlist – after reports in Italy revealed the hefty price United will need to pay to bring in the Brazil midfielder.
The 25-year-old is contracted until 2027, so the Serie A outfit are in a strong negotiating position and are well aware of the growing interest in his signature.
Elsewhere, United are exploring a double signing for two young Argentines in the latest piece of evidence that Ratcliffe is serious about overhauling the club’s recruitment strategy.
IN-FOCUS: Amorim’s dire record since becoming Man Utd manager
Ruben Amorim record at Man Utd so far
Ruben Amorim record at Man Utd so far