Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim speaks to the media alongside forward Amad.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim speaks to the media alongside forward Amad.
are wasting little time in the summer transfer window trying to make improvements to their under-achieving squad.
An initial £62.5m is already guaranteed to be spent on Matheus Cunha after United activated his Wolves release clause. Roughly a further £60m will need to be spent to bring in their next target Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
The Bees are likely to reject an initial £55m bid made by United for the Cameroon forward, but talks between the two parties remain ongoing. At the moment, the feeling is that the Reds will complete Mbeumo as their second signing of the summer and, if they do, it sparks questions as to what happens to a couple of the better performers this season.
Bruno Fernandes' place in the side, once Cunha and Mbeumo arrive, will likely be in a deeper role alongside either Manuel Ugarte or Casemiro. As for Amad, though, the future looks less clear.
Ruben Amorim has already shown that he is unwilling to change from his 3-4-2-1 system that has served him so well. But if Cunha and Mbeumo are seen as the new No.10s for that formation, it leads to questions as to where Amad fits in.
Unlike Fernandes, Amad won't be able to drop deeper in midfield. He is already being utilised in attacking midfield because Amorim does not play with wingers - and a switch to central midfield is surely out of the question.
As we see it, there are only two likely options. First, he could move into a wing-back role on the right-hand side.
While not his natural position, it would be a more comfortable fit than in central midfield. The problem with this approach would be that he is battling Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui in that position - who are clearly more natural there.
This would also be a waste of his attacking talents and so it is currently unclear whether Amad has the defensive capabilities to thrive at wing-back. The other option, which seems a little unfair, would be that the Ivorian's role in the United squad becomes more reduced to that of a back-up player.
Amad during Manchester United's post-season tour. (Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
Considering how he has played when available, it seems like a drop down the pecking order would be undeserved. Having played second fiddle to Antony (under Erik ten Hag), another change in his squad status could be enough to convince Amad that he needs to rethink his own plans.
It would be a huge hammer blow considering that he has adapted (by far) the best to Amorim's new approach to attacking. Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Marcus Rashford are all being sold because they have not been able to adapt to the new manager's philosophy.
To lose Amad, as well, would be a setback but, at the same time, it is difficult to see where his primary game-time comes from - at least if Cunha and Mbeumo are being signed to be starters for the club.
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