The winds of change have swept up Manchester United in a single whirlwind day as Erik ten Hag is sacked as manager Ruben Amorim already has one foot through the door.
It is a remarkably quick turn of events from the start of the day on October 28 when it was accepted that Erik ten Hag would face a four-game gauntlet at home before the third international break.
Now that those expectations have been subverted and Man Utd fans can look forward to a new era with Ineos’ first managerial appointment in Ruben Amorim, the vision moves forward.
Ineos created their new executive structure to ease the transition from one manager to another but a new man will nonetheless have his style and ideas and ideal players to implement it.
Luckily for United, there is one transfer they can make easily which makes perfect sense for an Amorim side-
Ruben Amorim’s ideal first Man Utd transfer
As with any regime change, there are bound to be some casualties and some beneficiaries with Amorim’s arrival.
This is even truer in this case if Amorim brings his staple 3-4-3 formation to Old Trafford which has given him so much success in Portugal.
That is not a formation United have traditionally played and the current team will likely have a few players who would have to adjust tactically.
The biggest winner from Amorim’s arrival will be Hojlund because this manager unlocks monsters in attack but there is one gaping hole in the Man Utd squad for his tactic too.
Fortunately, there is a straightforward transfer the club can make that addresses that hole quickly and efficiently.
The hole, of course, is at left wing-back, which, in ideal circumstances, Luke Shaw is perfect for. However, the less said about his availability the better.
Alvaro Fernandez was a potential solution to United’s left-back problems, but if the position to be filled is left wing-back, then Fernandez is the only answer.
Alvaro Fernandez is perfect for Ruben Amorim
Even setting aside the Portuguese league connection between Fernandez and Amorim, the player’s skill set couldn’t be more fit for what Amorim wants from his wing-backs.
They are expected to be dynamic and brave on the overlap as his wingers generally function as inside forwards to provide passing options in the centre of the park.
Therefore, it is up to the wing-backs to provide width and stretch the opposition which in turn creates space to weave magic in the middle.
Fernandez was sold by United for his less-than-ideal defensive readiness but he has come on leaps and bounds at Benfica.
United’s buy-back clause for Fernandez makes this an easy-to-make deal and he won’t be returning to the manager who approved his sale, which strengthens the club’s prospects in trying to convince him.
The age profile fits Ineos’ criteria, the tactical profile fits Amorims’ criteria, and he has already been at Carrington in his formative years and went elsewhere for elite experience.
There isn’t a move that makes more sense immediately and with an eye on the future. Amorim’s arrival removes all doubt.
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