‘Really good’… Rio Ferdinand shares what he has seen ‘behind the scenes’ in Man United’s pre-season

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has been impressed by Ruben Amorim’s side in pre-season so far.

The 2025 pre-season tour of the United States began this weekend with a 2-1 win over West Ham in New Jersey.

Bruno Fernandes stole the headlines by scoring both of Manchester United’s goals, the first coming from the penalty spot before doubling his tally in the second half with a clever finish from outside the box.

Ruben Amorim experimented with his tactics, although new signing Bryan Mbeumo was left out of the squad as he catches up to the fitness levels of his new teammates.

Rio Ferdinand watched from the stands of the 82,500-seater stadium and gave some interesting insight.

Rio Ferdinand pleased with Man United’s pre-season mood

Before kick-off, Bruno Fernandes raved about Cunha’s positivity since joining the United dressing room, suggesting he has added much more than just raw talent to the squad.

Amorim has been actively trying to improve the culture and atmosphere around United, and it seems there is a buzz of excitement around the camp.

When Ferdinand was asked if he liked what he is seeing behind the scenes in training, he replied: “I am, man. I saw some of the squad today, saw some of the management today. Really good vibes.

“But ultimately it’s going to be about the performance, the results and winning games.”

Fostering a good work environment has been a top priority for Amorim, and he also hinted that it is a factor that would come into play with new signings. If a player is not a good fit, they won’t join.

There have been too many negative stories about United players and the mood in the dressing room, and clearly that is something Amorim is working to improve. A good environment will always result in better performances.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo already improving Man United dressing room

The five players that Amorim cast out of his squad this summer were not only kept away so they could work on transfers, but because they would likely have a negative impact on the dressing room atmosphere.

Amorim wants and needs players who are 100 per cent committed to getting United back to the top, and step by step he is building a squad that ticks that box.

United’s transfer business has not been as busy as some would have hoped, but clearly Amorim and Ineos are being incredibly careful to not only add talent, but good characters – something the club has made the mistake of overlooking in the past.

As quoted by Manchester Evening News, Amorim has already praised the impact of new signings Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the dressing room.

READ MORE: Bruno Fernandes agrees with Ruben Amorim on one problem for Man Utd v West Ham, ‘we have to work on that’

“Matheus [Cunha] played more or less in the same system at his last club. He is a great player and he can play in different positions. He is really loud in the dressing room,” Amorim said.

“He is Brazilian. I love that from him. He is completely different from Bryan [Mbeumo] so it is really good to combine all these characters in the club.”

Amorim is building a squad of strong characters, and players who will fight for the badge on their shirt. It has been a strong start to pre-season, and momentum will be needed for the start of the new campaign.