Ruben Amorim has drawn up a blockbuster three-man shortlist of players he wants Manchester United to sign in January, according to reports in Spain.
Fichajes claim that the new United boss wants to bring in Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, Viktor Gyokeres from former employer Sporting Lisbon and Victor Osimhen from Napoli.
The report must be taken with a huge pinch of salt, given that the three players would cost in the region of £200 million.
It has widely been reported that Amorim will be granted a much tighter budget than his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, but even he could surely have only dreamed of such a decadent January window.
Not to mention Amorim’s apparent gentleman’s agreement not to raid Sporting for any players until the summer at least.
That said, all three players would be of considerable use to the Portuguese tactician as he looks to revolutionise the Red Devils.
Towering centre-back Branthwaite, who United pursued in the summer before plumping for Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro, is reportedly seen as “an ideal piece to strengthen United’s backline”.
Gyokeres has taken Europe by storm with his jaw-dropping goalscoring antics for Sporting so far this season. He has netted 23 times in just 18 games – that’s almost twice as many as United’s entire squad has managed in the Premier League up to now.
And Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli after a breakdown between the parties in the summer, is also in fine form.
He has scored eight goals in nine games, and supplied four assists for the Turkish giants.
Fichajes admit that he is not Amorim’s first choice, but explain that he is seen as “a quality alternative”.
The report is hazy about who exactly he is an alternative to – it seems logical that it would be Gyokeres, but Fichajes double down on “Amorim’s commitment to these three players”.
In all honesty, United are unlikely to get even one of the trio over the line in January, but if nothing else the Spanish outlet are probably on to something when they speak of Amorim’s “intention to revitalise Manchester United with young and proven talent”.
Feature image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
