A large-scale squad turnover awaits Ruben Amorim at Manchester United after seeing the reality of the players and with January the first chance to make an impact, swiftness is needed.
Since joining the club, Ruben Amorim has maintained that his first priority is to get the existing team firing and Man Utd don’t have financial flexibility in January anyway.
However, the way they can earn some flexibility is by selling players which shouldn’t be a problem for Amorim considering how many of them have been below par.
It looks like he’s already singled out an Erik ten Hag signing as a player way below the standard required, with the search for a replacement already underway.
Ruben Amorim’s damning verdict on Erik ten Hag signing
During his just over two years at the helm, Ten Hag oversaw three summer transfer windows and in that time, some true duds have arrived at Old Trafford.
Antony, Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, and Joshua Zirkzee (so far, at least) have all been failures to different degrees, with the fee for some setting United back years.
Amorim has a long job ahead of him to refresh the squad with one hand tied behind his back because the bulk of the money was spent for the manager who isn’t here anymore.
So he has to get rid of the players signed for that manager and he has identified one straightaway, with just a single appearance enough to convince him.
The Manchester Evening News report that Ruben Amorim wants a new goalkeeper to challenge Andre Onana, with incumbent backup Altay Bayindir ‘not regarded as credible competition’.
Onana has also struggled since Amorim’s arrival but he at least has his pedigree and early-season form to fall back on, neither of which can be said about Bayindir.
Bayindir’s nightmare Carabao Cup outing is likely to remain his last game for Man Utd, so bad was he in that one. The loss arguably sent United on a losing streak that stretches to this day.
Altay Bayindir and Man Utd goalkeeper situation
Due to United’s precarious financial situation, it goes without saying that Bayindir will have to leave for United to buy anyone in January.
In fact, there are other positions in more urgent need of strengthening if the money does arrive from any potential sale.
United will also have difficult decisions to make in the summer, when Radek Vitek, who’s flourished in Austria, will return from his loan spell with expectations.
Tom Heaton’s contract expires in the summer and he’s effectively a club ambassador so a player will need to come in between the sticks.
United have been linked to Belgian Senne Lammens as a potential challenger for Onana because Amorim doesn’t want a clear backup, he wants a genuine competitor for the Cameroonian.
In the meantime, one thing is clear, Bayindir will add his name to the long list of ill-advised signings that made little sense when it happened, and make no sense after seeing him perform.
Amorim thinks the same.
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