Manchester United’s Amorim Faces Pressures Over Transfer Budget and Team Performance

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has recorded 24 wins and 21 losses in his 62 matches at the helm.

In a recent press conference, Amorim refrained from elaborating on a comment he made regarding his transfer budget, suggesting potential discord within the club. Known for his transparency, he became reticent when questioned about his remarks made on Christmas Eve regarding his tactical preferences.

He stated, “I have the feeling if we have to play a perfect 3-4-3, we need to spend a lot of money and we need time. I’m starting to understand that is not going to happen. So, maybe I have to adapt.” Following this, he switched to a four-man defense for the 1-0 victory against Newcastle on December 26, only to revert to a five-man defense in a draw against bottom-placed Wolves four days later.

On December 23, the day before Amorim’s comments, United officials acknowledged the likelihood of failing in their pursuit of Bournemouth’s £65 million attacker Antoine Semenyo. They emphasized that the intention was never to deploy the 25-year-old as a wing-back.

Ahead of a Premier League match against Leeds, Amorim was questioned about his lack of knowledge regarding recruitment upon joining United from Sporting in November 2024. He responded, “I don’t want to talk about that. I just focus on the Leeds game.” When asked if his comments had shifted in light of recent developments regarding the transfer budget, he reiterated, “I don’t want to talk about that.” After a brief pause, he added, “But you are very smart, so…” indicating that the journalist could infer the implications.

Despite the ambiguity of his remarks, it appears that Amorim was hinting at underlying issues related to the budget. The club has consistently stated that they will only pursue signings in January if they align with their long-term objectives.

Following the Newcastle game, Amorim noted that he sometimes faced disagreements with the club regarding transfer targets. A notable example was the decision to sign Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens on transfer deadline day rather than his preferred choice, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

Amorim emphasized the importance of the coach’s input in recruitment, asserting that understanding the requisite qualities for his tactical system is crucial. This discourse occurs amidst dwindling confidence in Amorim among United supporters, particularly following a lackluster series of home games, including a loss to an Everton side reduced to ten players early in the match, and draws against teams on lengthy winless streaks.

Currently, United find themselves in sixth place in the standings, having missed several opportunities to break into the top four, and only three points clear of Fulham in twelfth. The club has openly expressed its ambition of securing European qualification, raising questions about Amorim’s future should he fail to meet this objective.

United recently recalled midfielder Toby Collyer from his loan at West Brom. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old is still recovering from a calf injury sustained in a match against Birmingham on November 26.

There was an expectation that the club hierarchy might allow new signings this month if either forward Joshua Zirkzee or injured midfielder Kobbie Mainoo were to secure loan moves. However, Amorim indicated that neither player, nor anyone else, had expressed a desire to leave. “If you look at our squad, I think it’s impossible for someone to leave,” he stated, advising that they should consult with director of football Jason Wilcox.

Additionally, while United is keen to strengthen their midfield, their top targets—England’s Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson, along with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba—are not viewed as feasible this January. The club has also been linked to former Wolves captain Ruben Neves, whose future at Al-Hilal remains uncertain, as well as former academy player James Garner, who has shone since his £15 million move to Everton in 2022.

However, on Friday, Amorim tempered expectations regarding new signings, stating, “We have no conversations at this moment to have any change in the squad.”