Ruben Amorim has been told that the INEOS-led regime at Manchester United might sell two of the players he’s stated that he wants to stay at Old Trafford.
Manchester United brought in Ruben Amorim back in November, but any expectations of an immediate revival were quickly dashed, with the team still languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.
It’s been a challenging season for the Portuguese head coach, who will be eager to oversee significant improvements once he’s had the chance to reshape the squad during the summer transfer window.
On the positive side, these extra months have allowed Amorim to thoroughly evaluate his players and begin forming a clear vision for who fits into his long-term plans at the club.
It has become clear that the club will need to make several player sales this summer to boost their transfer budget and some of those changes might be unpopular.
Amorim told INEOS might sell Mainoo and Garnacho
There has been a lot of noise about the futures of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho in recent months and reports suggested that both players were attracting interest in the January window too.
Despite stating in a press conference at the end of January that he “wants” to keep players like Garnacho and Mainoo, Amorim has been told he might see them be sold in the summer.
United legend Paul Scholes has said on Premier League Productions that he thinks the INEOS-led regime at Old Trafford “might sell” both of the young talents.
“It doesn’t look like Ruben Amorim will get a war chest to go to war with. It doesn’t feel like that,” the 50-year-old pundit began.
“I get the impression, and I could be wrong, but I think they might sell the two young players. I think they might sell [Kobbie] Mainoo and [Alejandro] Garnacho.
“I hope I’m wrong. I hope they don’t do that, but the noises I hear are a big concern.”
Ratcliffe’s comments suggest Amorim will help decide
On the other hand, the words from Sir Jim Ratcliffe in his latest round of interviews suggest the exact opposite to what Scholes has claimed.
The United co-owner was asked by the BBC last month whether Mainoo or Garnacho would be sold for financial reasons. No no,” he replied. “We won’t be selling players because of the state we are in financially.”
Instead, this hints that the reason either of those players might be sold is because they do not fit Amorim’s plans going forward.
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Garnacho has seemingly struggled to find form in the inside forward role in Amorim’s system, while Mainoo did not look at his best in the midfield pivot before his injury.
It seems clear that Mainoo will be a significant boost to the side once he is fully fit and firing – whether in the midfield or as one of the no.10s – but there are perhaps more question marks over Garnacho, who has been linked with Napoli again in recent weeks after January speculation.
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