“They have literally told me…” Manchester United hit with major blow following La Liga pursuit

Manchester United have been hit with a major blow after reports surfaced that they were gunning for an important La Liga figure this year.

Rúben Amorim’s first two and a half months at Manchester United have been anything but straightforward since replacing Erik ten Hag.

Taking charge in mid-November with United struggling in 13th place in the Premier League and managing just one win in the Europa League, the 40-year-old set out to steady the club and implement his vision.

There have been encouraging signs, including impressive away victories over Arsenal and Manchester City, but inconsistency remains an issue. Under Amorim, United have won 10 of their first 20 matches, losing eight and drawing two.

Off the pitch, challenges have been just as significant. Three senior attackers left on loan during the winter transfer window without replacements coming in, while Lisandro Martínez faces the prospect of missing the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

However, there have been positives. United strengthened at left wing-back with the signing of Patrick Dorgu, while 18-year-old centre-back Ayden Heaven has arrived as a promising addition for the future.

United hit with González blow

Earlier this week, a report from Spain surfaced that United were targeting Athletic Bilbao’s sporting director Mikel González to replace Dan Ashworth at United.

Former Old Trafford sporting director Ashworth was let go from United after just five months in the role after it was stated that the club did not align with the Englishman’s views for the future, with technical director Jason Wilcox taking over his duties.

However, United have been hit with a fresh blow in their pursuit of González, with journalist Nico Rodríguez, via Estadio Deportivo, stating Bilbao are confident the man will stay.

“I have made a call and Athletic Club are very calm, very calm,” Rodríguez said during an appearance on El Chiringuito.

“They know that it is normal for good work to arouse the interest of big clubs, but they have told me that they are very calm, that they know that Mikel González is 100% no.

“They have literally told me that he is 1000% committed to the Athletic project and that they have no doubt that he is not going to leave Athletic. At Athletic they do not give him any importance and they are clear that he is going to stay.”

United staff worried about recent decisions

Since INEOS took over the footballing side of Manchester United, they have been routinely criticised for their poor decision making, and according to The Athletic, staff feel the same way.

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Amid a report that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are set to cut at least another 100 jobs from the club, it’s stated that some staff feel they are suffering the consequences of bad decisions.

Staff are said to argue that botched INEOS decision-making with regards to Erik ten Hag not being sacked in the summer and the Ashworth saga, as well as the £200 million spent during the summer on Matthijs De Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, and Manuel Ugarte, has left ordinary workers at risk of unemployment.

This comes after INEOS had already fired around 250 staff members by August 2024, eight months into Ratcliffe’s tenure as co-owner.

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