Reinforcing the Attack, Managing Expectations

Manchester United’s tumultuous post-season tour of Asia has given way to a flurry of transfer activity, with the club’s head coach, Ruben Amorim, revealing a clear idea of what he wants his squad to look like come pre-season training in July. Amidst the chaos, Amorim’s vision for the future has begun to take shape, with a focus on younger, hungrier players who can improve, as well as reinforcements to address the problematic left wing-back berth and a priority on bolstering the attack.

The initial approach, which still serves as a guide, was to target players who can make an immediate impact, as evidenced by the signings of 20-year-old Denmark international Patrick Dorgu and 18-year-old Arsenal central defender Ayden Heaven. However, some issues are so pressing that development time is no longer an option, and Amorim’s absolute priority has shifted to reinforcing his attack.

The arrival of Wolves’ Cunha and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who finished joint-fourth top scorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals, is a significant development in this regard. Both players possess Premier League experience, which is seen as a major advantage in a league where the challenges are well-known. According to former United skipper Gary Neville, “United has become a very difficult place for new signings to operate in the last 10 years. Cunha and Mbeumo have got Premier League experience and lots of games under their belt. They can hit the ground running.”

However, the great unknown is how Amorim will deploy these new signings, with speculation surrounding whether they will operate behind a number nine in the two ’10’ slots or as main strikers. The club’s finances will also be a major factor in the coming weeks, with Amorim adamant that United can work around Fernandes staying at Old Trafford from a financial point of view, despite the situation being far from straightforward.

With no European football next season, finances will be tight, and sales are inevitable. Amorim has already stated that he can operate with a smaller squad given the reduced match schedule, but the challenge lies in how long it will take to do deals and how much it will cost. Take Sancho, for example, who has been established to have been offered reduced terms by Chelsea, which he was not prepared to accept. If a Premier League club that has just qualified for the Champions League is baulking at Sancho’s wages, it is fair to assume most other clubs will reach the same conclusion.

The matches may have finished, but for United’s technical director Jason Wilcox and chief negotiator Matt Hargreaves, the hard work is just beginning. It is how well they do, getting players in and out, that will determine how much progress Amorim can be expected to make in the coming season.