According to reports, Manchester United chiefs have granted Ruben Amorim’s request for a ‘surprise’ summer signing as they are already “making calls”.
A huge squad overhaul is required at Man Utd as the Premier League giants are enduring a disastrous campaign, sitting 15th in the table after 28 matches.
To complicate matters, the Red Devils have a limited budget as they are second in our Premier League net spend table.
Man Utd need to offload unwanted talents to raise funds. Patrick Dorgu was their only big-money addition in January, while Marcus Rashford and Antony left on loan to Aston Villa and Real Betis.
Head coach Amorim presumably would have preferred to do more business, and more struggles are likely in the summer with sales needed to balance the books.
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With most of United’s squad underperforming, upgrades are required in various positions as they need to make several statement signings.
Man Utd are 18th in our open-play goals Premier League table, so their top priority must be the signing of a world-class striker to take some pressure off Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
Despite this, a report from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano for GiveMeSport claims Amorim has informed Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. that a ‘new centre-back’ is a ‘surprise summer transfer priority’.
Centre-backs are key to Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 system and they invested heavily in this department last summer, signing Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.
Man Utd also brought in teenager Ayden Heaven from Premier League rivals Arsenal in January, but Romano believes Amorim wants “one more” as “cover” and club chiefs have granted this request.
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Romano said: “Ruben Amorim has also indicated this position as one more to cover in the upcoming months.
“Man United directors have recently started making some calls to enquire about centre-backs available in the summer.”
18-year-old Heaven is arguably ahead of schedule as he’s already earned a place in Man Utd’s team and Amorim has set him a challenge for the coming weeks.
“If he continues like that he is going to play,” Amorim said.
“Of course he is young and he didn’t play much this season, maybe only 45 minutes for the Under-21s, then a few minutes here and now a full game.
“I really like his confidence. I like his pace, I think he is good in defending the box and I think he is quite complete. But he has a lot of work to do in the Premier League.
“We will face a different kind of player and he will be tested in a different kind of way, so we are trying to manage all of this because he is still really young.”
