Senior Old Trafford sources maintain Amorim’s position is unaffected by Wednesday’s defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final as they prepare to intensify efforts to reshape a chronically underperforming squad to the manager’s needs this summer. The club will listen to any offers for players on their individual merits.
Amorim has offered to walk away without financial compensation if the club wish to make a change.
But it is understood the Portuguese was always aware his future was not contingent on the outcome of one game, or his calamitous first season and that the United hierarchy accept they are facing a long-term rebuild that requires time and patience.
There has been no need or intention to issue a public “vote of confidence” because the club are refusing to be buffeted by poor results. They have accepted this season was always going to be a challenge as they transitioned to a new system and style of play under Amorim, with a squad in desperate need of renewal.
United’s players have also insisted Amorim should lead the club forward, as the dressing room threw their backing behind the head coach. “We all agree that he’s the right man,” Bruno Fernandes, the captain, said.
Luke Shaw admitted the players had to question if they were “good enough” to represent the club, criticised the lack of self-belief that has left them going into games “not believing that we can win”, and issued an unreserved apology to supporters in the wake of the club’s worst season since relegation in 1974.
United will finish 17th in the Premier League − one place above the relegation zone − if they lose to Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday and Spurs claim at least a point at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Despite the support for Amorim, United’s failure to win the Europa League and, with it, secure Champions League qualification, leaves the club at a significant financial disadvantage this summer.
For example, England’s four Champions League representatives earned an average of £79 million each from participation in the competition this season, excluding gate receipts which would be worth an additional minimum £22 million to United.
### Read more
United also stand to earn about £25 million less in Premier League merit payments this season compared to last and have triggered a £10 million penalty clause payable to Adidas under the terms of their kit deal for failing to qualify for the Champions League. That will be partly offset by the £8 million the club stand to earn from their post-season tour of Asia next week.
All of this will drastically increase the pressure to sell well this summer and adopt an ultra-flexible approach in which little is off the table in order to raise funds to reinvest.
United want to sign the Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap and Wolves attacking midfielder Matheus Cunha, who have release clauses of £30 million and £62.5 million respectively, and have interest in a host of other players including Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
They hope to raise about £90 million by selling wingers Marcus Rashford, Jason Sancho and Antony, while the uncertainty over the future of Alejandro Garnacho intensified after his controversial omission from the starting XI against Spurs in Bilbao.
Garnacho’s brother and agent Roberto has accused Amorim of “throwing” the player “under the bus”. Garnacho described United’s season as “s---” and made a pointed reference to being dropped in interviews after the final, having also posted images of him scoring in last season’s FA Cup final triumph on his Instagram stories before the game.
“Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today,” the Argentina winger said. “I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.”
Alejandro Garnacho walks past the Europa League trophy.
Amorim defended his decision to drop Garnacho by citing the player’s miss in their semi-final victory over Athletic Bilbao, as fears of a rift grow.
Chelsea and Napoli both made bids for Garnacho in January and could renew their interest in the summer. United would likely accept an offer of around £60 million, while some doubts have also been cast about the future of another academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo.
Deco, Barcelona’s sporting director, has confirmed their interest in Rashford, along with Liverpool’s Luis Díaz. Chelsea are obligated to sign Sancho for £20-£25 million under the terms of his loan, but can pay a £5 million penalty to nullify the agreement. Real Betis want to sign Antony permanently after a successful loan spell.
Fernandes’s future is also a hot topic. The United captain expressed a desire to remain at Old Trafford, but said he would not kick up a fuss if the club sought to cash in on him this summer. Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal could table a big offer.
“I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go,” Fernandes said. “If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it is what it is, and football sometimes is like this.”
Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans are expected to be released when their contracts expire at the end of next season and free up space on the wage bill. The futures of other players such as striker Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro are also in doubt.
Like Fernandes, Shaw and Diogo Dalot insisted Amorim was the best manager for the job.
“He knows what he needs to change,” Shaw said. “I think that’s why Ruben is 100 per cent the right person.”
Dalot added: “I’m 100 per cent sure that he’s the right man for us because I see it every day, the standards that he has, what he demands from us, the view that he has for the club, for the players, for the coaching staff.”
Fernandes echoed those sentiments. “I do think the manager is the right one and I don’t think that it will be a better person to come into the job and do the job. I know it’s difficult to understand that, it’s difficult to see that. But I still do think that he’s the right man to lead the club.
“I do think that the club is in a situation where it’s easier to get a different one in because the results haven’t been there. But as my other team-mates said, and I repeat myself, I do think he’s the right man.”
### Read more