Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is becoming aware of the difficult task at the club – but he knew from day one.
Ruben Amorim is witnessing the challenge facing him at Manchester United, with the team losing three matches already in December.
Amorim is confident that ‘nothing bad lasts forever‘, and he has a plan to turn it around. He does not plan to move away from his vision to activate his way of playing or attempt shortcuts.
Part of the problem right now is the players. Ruben Amorim could select a dozen different formations, and it wouldn’t work. The phrase ‘re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic’ could be applied.
What Manchester United need is to improve the technical and physical level of the squad, and this might even apply to a few of the players bought recently under Erik ten Hag.
Ruben Amorim recommends largescale changes
Former Manchester United interim coach Ralf Rangnick famously recommended the club needed open-heart surgery. Erik ten Hag just proved to be the wrong person to apply the operation.
United’s squad remains in need of re-modelling despite the investment applied. It is certainly not up to scratch for what Ruben Amorim requires.
United In Focus has been told that Ruben Amorim’s assessment of the Manchester United squad is that there is no quick fix.
Instead Amorim believes it could take SIX transfer windows to conduct the sufficient ins and outs to get Manchester United competing for the title.
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey explains that Ineos are on board and prepared to back the manager, aware it won’t be a quick process.
Bailey explains: “I am told that during the process of Amorim taking the job, the squad was discussed at length in terms of the make-up and future of the playing staff.
“I understand that Amorim had already spoken at length with his coaching staff about the squad and they deemed that it would take a number of windows to put things right.
“I am told that Amorim was not overly critical of the club in terms of the squad, but was honest in his appraisal and it was, and is, his belief that it would take at least three years to put his true stamp on things, meaning at least six transfer windows.
“The real positive that Amorim and United’s football department take from the whole process is that they are in this together and for the long-term. Nobody at Old Trafford expects this to be a short-term turn-around.”
Targeting young talent is part of sustainable plans
Manchester United have tried paying up for big names, and it has not worked. This was the strategy under former chief executive Ed Woodward.
Ineos have been proactive in terms of targeting young players, but this can take time to pay off. That has been evidenced by Amad’s big breakthrough 2024. He arrived at the club in January 2021.
This year United signed prolific young striker Chido Obi-Martin, midfielder Sekou Kone, and have just agreed a deal for left-back Diego Leon. Midfielder Sverre Nypan could be next.
These deals are just part of the puzzle, with no guarantees they will pay off, but it is a smart way to invest in the squad for the future, along with more practical deals actioned for quicker wins.
Amorim knows the demands and expectations to get United as high up the table as possible, but there will be patience this season.
The first of his six transfer windows he believes he needs will kick off in January. United are not expected to be big spenders, due to financial constraints, which will also impact next summer.
This is part of the trouble. Even if United identified all of the potential signings to be able to make instant fixes, the club cannot simply go and buy all of them at once. It is a process, which is why Ruben Amorim and his coaching staff have to get inventive, and make do with what they have, one step at a time.
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