Andrey Santos has spoken his first words since joining Manchester United and the club can credit Ruben Amorim for what he found attractive.
It is Ineos’ philosophy not to sign any player who is not desperate to play for Man Utd, so Andrey Santos already fits the bill.
However, it is worth noting what factors combined to make up his mind, of which one dates back to Ruben Amorim’s time at Old Trafford.
Here’s why United can give Amorim a little credit for being the driving force behind the factor that turned Santos’ head.
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Andrey Santos credits Man Utd’s ‘amazing’ atmosphere
Amorim might not have won many games at Man Utd, but he has been repeatedly credited with resetting the dressing room standards.
One can debate how much of that reset was down to Ineos’ recruitment, and how much was down to Amorim’s management, but the change is clear.
The Man Utd dressing room is in a much better place, the squad is together, and full of driven professionals who want to play for the badge.
The likes of Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire have publicly accepted that Amorim drove these changes by making small demands and accountability every day, something which the fans can’t see.
That is precisely what attracted Santos to the club, as he talked about the “amazing” atmosphere created at Man Utd.
He said [via Man Utd official website]: “Everybody told me about how ambitious the club is and the amazing environment that has been created here. I know just how strong the squad is, and I cannot wait to fight together to compete for the biggest trophies.”
Michael Carrick can prove Man Utd reset is not Amorim-dependent
Amorim has received credit for resetting the standards of the dressing room, but the timing of it conveniently lines up with Ineos’ change in transfer strategy.
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Now, Michael Carrick has the opportunity to prove that the reset is down to the club ethos as much as it was down to Amorim’s management.
If the dressing room standards don’t slip again, then it will be clear that what attracted Santos to Old Trafford is not driven by a single person.
Carrick’s style of management is slightly different, but that doesn’t mean he will let the players slack off.
He needs to continue the new image United have built for themselves in world football, and ensure more players like Santos are attracted by the atmosphere around the building.
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