Manchester United may see a complete overhaul of players this summer, as Ruben Amorim rebuilds the squad he inherited from Erik ten Hag - but four players in particular must stay put
14:07, 21 May 2025
BILBAO, SPAIN - MAY 20: Head Coach Ruben Amorim of Manchester United arrives at the stadium ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mames Stadium on May 20, 2025 in Bilbao Spain. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim may look to overhaul his Manchester United squad this summer(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Manchester United have identified four players who are off the table for any summer transfer deals, as Ruben Amorim plans a squad shake-up.
United's season has been underwhelming under new boss Amorim, who took over after Erik ten Hag's dismissal in October. Currently, the Red Devils are languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, with a mere 10 wins throughout the entire 2024/25 season – three of which were achieved under Ten Hag before he was shown the door.
With a Europa League final against Tottenham – another team having a domestic nightmare – looming as their last shot at silverware this season, Amorim might need to make some bold moves in the summer to restore United to their former glory. The reality is that the 40-year-old has found it tough to shape the squad he inherited from Ten Hag to suit his own style of play.
And as a result, football pundits like Gary Neville have noted that at least six new signings are needed for the first team ahead of the new season. However, the board might need to flog some big names before they can bring in fresh talent, as shown by their paltry January spending where they splashed out just £26million on Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu, reports the Manchester Evening News.
It's believed that minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen to beef up United's transfer kitty this summer with the permanent exits of three stars currently out on loan. Marcus Rashford has been plying his trade at Aston Villa since January after it became clear he wasn't in Amorim's playbook, while Antony is impressing at Real Betis, and Jadon Sancho is over at Chelsea.
There's talk that United could pocket as much as £100m for the trio, but shifting the players might be a bit tricky. Chelsea might opt to cough up a £5m penalty rather than splashing out the agreed £25m for Sancho, especially as he hasn't exactly set the world alight in west London.
Article continues below
Meanwhile, Villa are still debating over the £40m price tag United have slapped on Rashford, and although Antony has been in fine form with Betis recently, they're under no obligation to buy him when his loan spell ends. Four players who are seen as indispensable for United might also throw a spanner in the works for Amorim's summer plans.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 16: Jim Ratcliffe, Co-owner of Manchester United reacts prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC at Stamford Bridge on May 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe may have to back Ruben Amorim this summer(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
As per The Telegraph, Bruno Fernandes, Amad, Leny Yoro, and Harry Maguire are all considered must-haves at United for the 2025/26 season, which means Amorim might have to factor them into his future plans and build his team around them – despite Fernandes hitting 30 in September, and Maguire just having celebrated his 32nd birthday in March. This marks a significant shift from the players who were considered indispensable at United before last year's summer transfer window.
As per the same source in April 2024, Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund were the trio that United were desperate to retain. However, lacklustre performances throughout the 2024/25 season have seemingly altered the mood at Old Trafford.
Despite Garnacho chipping in with six goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, he's recently been relegated to the bench in favour of Mason Mount. Hojlund, on the other hand, has only managed to find the net four times this term in the Premier League, a far cry from the prolific striker that United are currently craving.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo stand dejected
Bruno Fernandes and Amad are thought to be irreplaceable(Image: PA)
Article continues below
Meanwhile, Mainoo has also struggled to make an impact from midfield – failing to score or assist in 24 league matches this season. The coming months will reveal how things pan out for United this summer, with the heat expected to ramp up on Amorim into the 2025/26 season.
The board have shown remarkable patience with Amorim's poor results this term, but that could soon change if he fails to deliver after having a full transfer window and pre-season to tweak his squad. However, the imminent transfer window won't be the focus for United's top dogs on Wednesday night as they set their sights on bagging their first Europa League trophy in eight years against Ange Postecoglou's Spurs.
The two teams have only ever locked horns once in European competition, with Matt Busby's United edging out Spurs 4-3 over two legs in the last 16 of the 1963/64 Cup Winners' Cup.