Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim speaks to Bruno Fernandes in the Old Trafford touchline.
Ruben Amorim (right) is facing a massive summer.
Never has a summer transfer window felt so important for Manchester United.
After experiencing their worst season in 51 years, United are about embark on a period in which as many changes need to be made as realistically possible. The window will open on Sunday for 10 days before closing again on June 10.
It will then reopen again on June 16 and stay open until the final klaxon sounds on September 1. Just how United's squad will look come then is anyone's guess.
After losing last week's Europa League final in Bilbao, United will not be able to oversee the volume of changes they would have liked had they qualified for the Champions League. .
Nevertheless, there are some decisions that will have to be made. With that said, here are United's leading priorities for this summer:
Sign a proven goalscorer
Missing out on Liam Delap's signature is not necessarily as big a 'blow' as some United fans might fear. The 22-year-old, who is set to join Chelsea, has spent just one season as a Premier League regular, scoring 12 goals in an Ipswich Town side that won just four league games all season.
As respectable as his tally was, the difference in expectations between Ipswich and United are worlds apart. The pressure at United is ten-fold in comparison.
United, this summer, should be making the addition of a proven and established goalscorer their top priority. They have finished the last two Premier League seasons with a negative goal difference and that is unacceptable.
United need someone who can come in, hit the ground running and score goals at a consistent rate. Strikers of that ilk are not cheap, but United, at this juncture, cannot afford to go another season without a reliable goalscorer leading their attack.
Victor Osimhen has the credentials Manchester United need. (Image: Hakan Akgun/Anadolu via Getty Images.)
Keep Fernandes
amid interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal could leave United with a massive decision to make. A bid worth £100million is being mooted and the prospect of that officially being put to United could test their resolve.
A bid of such strength could convince United to cash-in on a player who will turn 31 in September. On the flip side, they may believe his importance to the team is just too great.
United would have been worse off without him this season, highlighted by his return of 19 goals and 20 assists across all competitions, meaning that thought must be considered in their thinking. He is their jewel in a broken crown and losing him could damage it even further.
Clear the decks
Player sales will dictate exactly what is achievable for United this summer in terms of incomings. Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen will set the ball rolling when their contracts expire and more departures will follow.
United have already informed Garnacho he will be sold if a suitable offer comes along, while Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony have been identified as priority sales. The trio all spent time out on loan this season.
Elsewhere, United should be aiming to try and offload Altay Bayindir, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Casemiro. Shifting them, however, is much easier said than done.
Luke Shaw (left) and Casemiro need to be sold. (Image: Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images.)
But if United are serious about revamping the squad to the best of their ability, they need to point those who do not have long-term futures at the club in the direction of the exit.
Sign a goalkeeper
The Manchester Evening News reported back in January that Amorim wants to sign a goalkeeper to challenge Andre Onana for the No.1 spot. The Cameroonian has had his faults since arriving at Old Trafford almost two years ago and many United fans remain unconvinced by him.
Bayindir has not covered himself in glory when he has donned the gloves, and he should be sold, meaning United must recruit an improved backup goalkeeper to challenge Onana at the very least.
You can also make an argument for United attempting to sign a new No.1. Onana has made too many costly errors since succeeding David de Gea and can no longer be assured of automatically being the starting goalkeeper by default.
Make a statement
In back-to-back summers, United gambled a combined £108.5m on two players they thought would strengthen their attack. Rasmus Hojlund arrived for a fee that could rise to £72m from Atalanta in August 2023 and Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna 11 months later.
Neither of them have shown anywhere enough to suggest they can lead United's attack, with Hojlund regressing this season and Zirkzee soon making it clear he is not a No.9.
If United sell either/both of them this summer, they will have to accept losses on the pair. Their current valuations are nowhere near the fees United paid for them.
United would be better off cutting their losses and selling one of them at the very least. Based on this calendar year, Zirkzee is the more attractive option to keep, meaning Hojlund would be the prime candidate to offload.
Strengthen at No.10
United are already well on their way to achieving this ambition by attempting to wrap up the signing of Wolves star Matheus Cunha. United are prepared to pay his £62.5m release clause and are currently in talks over the structure of the payments.
United need fresh blood in their attacking department and Cunha, on the back of a 15-goal Premier League season, is just the sort of signing they should be making.
Depending on what happens elsewhere, there is also an argument to suggest they should bring in another No.10, especially if Amad is deployed as a right wing-back. However, the size of their budget will dictate what is possible on that front.