Antoine Semenyo’s decision to snub Man Utd for their city rivals is a blow on the surface, but fans should be extremely encouraged by a key detail in the whole saga.
The quality of Antoine Semenyo is not up for debate, especially for his release clause worth £65m, which is why Man Utd had to beat off competition from every traditional top-six club at one point.
They ultimately lost out to Man City, and the wisdom of that decision can only become clear with time, but one thing is clear immediately.
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Despite missing out on Semenyo, a key detail in the saga will end up being a bigger boost for the club, with or without Semenyo.
Antoine Semenyo saga had two key pitches by Man Utd
It’s no secret that Ruben Amorim rates Semenyo extremely highly, as he called him “special” ahead of the meeting at Old Trafford.
The appreciation was reflected in United’s efforts to sign the player, as the club “pushed like crazy”, according to Fabrizio Romano, despite there being a gaping hole in midfield.
Ultimately, reports suggest that the deal came down to Semenyo’s own preference, as well as United not wanting to break their wage structure.
United’s outgoing transfer debt is already a huge mountain as it is, so the financial reason is understandable.
United’s pitch for Semenyo had two key sporting pillars. The first was that he won’t be played as a wing-back, a role that actually looked tailor-made for him based on recent games.
The second was that Amorim was willing to change his whole system to accommodate Semenyo, which is as big a statement of intent as there can possibly be.
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Therein lies the biggest boost for United, because with or without Semenyo, Amorim has sent a message that United will be better off with.
Ruben Amorim’s flexibility is a bigger boost than any one player
Semenyo would have been a fine addition to the Premier League-proven core of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer.
However, what the season has shown until now is that no single player can make a huge difference if the system they play in shackles them.
Amorim seems to have realised this recently, unleashing this team’s attack in the last few games as the performances have improved steadily.
The base system remains three-at-the-back, but the execution couldn’t be more different than it used to be, as there is a lot more fluidity in shape.
If Amorim was willing to change his system for Semenyo, that hints at a softening in stance for the Man Utd manager.
It is a move towards getting the best out of the players rather than forcing square pegs in round holes, which will come as music to the ears of frustrated Man Utd fans.
With or without Semenyo, that is the evolution fans have been pleading for all season. Amorim now looks like he’s open to it.
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