Leny Yoro’s introduction to the team in place of an injured Lisandro Martinez took some adjusting, but therein lies Man Utd’s gift from Ruben Amorim’s era.
Michael Carrick is getting more out of the same squad that Ruben Amorim deemed incapable, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a flipside to it.
The club culture has been talked about a lot, and Amorim’s role in preventing Bruno Fernandes from leaving the club will always be crucial.
An underrated contribution from the Portuguese was visible against Villa, as Leny Yoro showed that United are allowed an ambitious rebuild in the summer.
Leny Yoro of Manchester United speaks to Ayden Heaven at the end of the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on December 8, 2025
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Ruben Amorim’s system forced Man Utd’s abundance of CBs
Amorim’s formation, as much as he said, was flexible, clearly needed three quality centre-backs who should excel at multiple facets of the game.
This was the one area of the squad he was fairly happy with, and rightly so, considering United gave him an embarrassment of riches there.
Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven added to the ranks of Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, and Lisandro Martinez, with Tyler Fredricson, an underrated name who could shine next season.
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Barring Fredricson, each one of those players is a bona fide star who has shown he can come into the first XI without the team skipping a beat.
Carrick witnessed it firsthand as Yoro became better with each game in Martinez’s absence, punctuating it with a brilliant game against Villa.
This is despite an argument that Carrick hasn’t even unleashed Martinez’s actual backup, as Heaven waits in the wings for more minutes.
The riches at centre-back at Old Trafford are a legacy of Amorim’s system, and it means that United can afford to enter the summer window next with an ambitious plan.
Man Utd can concentrate on an ambitious midfield rebuild
With the goalkeeper position sorted, the defensive numbers stacked, and the attack looking exciting this season, United’s priorities next summer have been narrowed.
Ineos are preparing a defensive shortlist for the transfer window, but that would be a misguided move because they’d be ignoring the opportunity they have in front of them.
They can let the defensive ranks be, probably add youngsters like Godwill Kukonki and Harry Amass to it next season, and ambitiously attack the midfield market.
Casemiro cannot be replaced by a single player, and that is without even mentioning the potential departure of Manuel Ugarte.
I would pay a MAXIMUM of £___ per-week to Casemiro to extend his contract
Fill in the blank with your offer. Casemiro earns around £350k/week right now. Will you go high or walk away?
Casemiro showing the Manchester United badge
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If United intend to spend their usual £200m budget on players next summer, nobody will be furious if they just buy three midfielders with it.
That is a privilege United have earned after retooling the squad in Amorim’s vision and being safe with the centre-back numbers in the squad.
Yoro proved against Villa that United don’t need more centre-backs. Heaven will prove it further next season.
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