Club president explains Manchester United’s new transfer trick, it’s already secured two targets

A club president has revealed a Manchester United transfer trick that has already secured Rúben Amorim’s club two key targets in the last few months.

Manchester United’s 2025 winter transfer window has come under fire from fans after the club failed to strengthen key areas of Rúben Amorim’s squad.

Defensive reinforcements arrived with the signings of Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, but the lack of attacking additions has left supporters frustrated.

Meanwhile, three first-team forwards—Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Ethan Wheatley—departed on loan, along with several Academy players seeking more regular game time.

One silver lining is the signing of promising young left-back Diego Leon, who will officially join United on 1 July after completing the season with Cerro Porteño in Paraguay.

How United convinced Amorim to sign

When United sacked Erik ten Hag, they managed to convince Amorim to leave mid-season despite the 40-year-old’s initial wishes to see out the remainder of the campaign in Portugal before joining in the summer.

United did so by telling Amorim that it was either now or never and that there would not be an opportunity for him to join the club in the summer.

“The season started, we started very well, and then Manchester United came, they pay above the compensation clause and the president defends the club’s interests,” Amorim explained at the beginning of November once his move was confirmed.

“I never discussed anything with the [Sporting] president. For three days I said I wanted to stay until the end of the season, but then I was told it was not possible.

“It was now or never, or Manchester would go for another option. So, I had three days to make my mind up, to make a decision that changes radically my life.”

United repeated the same trick with Dorgu

With United continuing to make multiple mid-season changes, it seems as if they have repeated the trick they used on Amorim to secure the signing of Dorgu, too.

Lecce president Sticchi Damiani has revealed that although the Serie A side did not want to sell the 20-year-old this month, United forced the move through by telling Lecce that they either accept the bid in January instead of the summer or lose out on the sale completely.

“Let’s start with the Dorgu operation which has the characteristics of the extraordinary,” Damiani recently explained.

“It is our record sale and it happens in our moment of great economic health. Someone wanted to talk about critical issues, which have existed but in the past with covid on whose recovery I will return later.

“It was not a planned operation, it was not done to fill critical issues of the past. It brings us wealth from all points of view and the possibility of making technical and structural investments.

“We said several times that Dorgu would not leave in January, and now I will explain why the opposite happened. Then Manchester United arrived, who made themselves heard with us and with the boy’s entourage, receiving an official response from us that I leave here, in which we said that we had no intention of letting Dorgu leave in January.

Read More: Leny Yoro agrees with Rúben Amorim on his biggest difference compared to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

“And not talking about figures, not asking for increases. This, instead of stopping United, had the opposite effect. Manchester ​​insisted, we asked several times to postpone everything until the summer, also promising the young man that he would not miss the opportunity.

“For us too it was a historic step, we just wanted to do it in July. The English communicated to us their desire, the club and its coach, to be immediate. There was an ultimatum, now or never, also giving this message to the player himself.

“You cannot judge Dorgu, you are 20 years old and Manchester United comes to you with an offer like that. The combination of these factors led us to think that we would have gone from being consistent to being stupidly obstinate.”

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