Manchester United’s stance on the January transfer window caused frustration for Ruben Amorim before his sacking, and was a factor that led to him being relieved of his duties.
Manchester United are clearly in need of reinforcements as we enter the second half of the Premier League campaign. The team is crying out for a midfielder, a problem that was identified before the season even began and has only been amplified by the growing number of injuries to Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, with Kobiee Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte also not being fully trusted in the role.
Antoine Semenyo was the main and only target for INEOS and Amorim in the January window, aiming for the Bournemouth winger to make the switch from the coast to Manchester. He did, only to the wrong side of the city, as it seems United have been ousted by Manchester City for the 25-year-old’s signature.
Jason Wilcox, technical director, made it clear after United failed to capture the signature of Premier League star Semenyo that the club is only going to target players whom they see as long-term and who are going to stay with the club for multiple seasons.
This stance reportedly frustrated Ruben Amorim, and a disagreement between the Portuguese coach and the higher-ups was a factor that led to the 40-year-old’s sacking, with fans now curious whether INEOS have changed their mind on the January transfer plan.
United retain their approach to the January transfer window
To the dismay of fans and pundits, it seems that Manchester United are not going to change the plans they had for the January window before Amorim’s departure. This has caused frustration amongst the fanbase, who feel the money that could’ve been used for Semenyo could be used elsewhere.
Manchester Evening News reported that the Semenyo transfer aligned with their approach to the window of being a long-term target. However, it is obvious to the footballing world that the side would be drastically improved by recruiting a quality midfielder.
Director of recruitment Christopher Vivell and director of football Jason Wilcox are leading the transfer window and have received a lot of backlash in recent days as fans felt they only sacked Amorim due to his comments about the higher-ups at the club.
Amorim would have wanted to use the funds available for Semenyo to strengthen other areas of the pitch, but was seemingly told this wouldn’t be necessary by the people working above him. It is clear that INEOS feel they know what’s best for the club going forward and have a few huge decisions to make in the upcoming weeks.
Regarding the January transfer window, it seems as though the strategy will not be changed, but a string of poor results towards the end of the month may cause a sudden U-turn.
What’s the future for Mainoo and Zirkzee
Amorim’s departure will have knock-on effects throughout the club. Marcus Rashford could make an incredible comeback to Old Trafford, but focusing on the players currently involved with the side, Kobiee Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee’s futures in Manchester have taken another turn.
Under Ruben Amorim, Mainoo seemed to be cast to the side, failing to pick up many minutes at all in the Premier League this season, even with the midfield being a huge point of concern within the team. However, the 20-year-old now has a chance to prove himself, as it’s more likely he will gain more minutes in the starting lineup.
For Joshua Zirkzee, a move back to the Serie A seemed inevitable if the Semenyo deal could get over the line, but a mixture of an unsuccessful deal as well as Amorim’s exit could lead Zirkzee to stay and help United battle for a Champions League spot.
The January window strategy of not making any new signings makes it very unlikely that United will allow any players to depart, and with a change in manager, players may want to stay and prove themselves to the coach and fans.
A couple of weeks ago, it seemed likely that Zirkzee and Mainoo would be gone this January, but now they have a new lease of life and the potential to become key players in what will be a crucial end to the season for Manchester United.
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