Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, recently shed light on the club's transfer strategy amidst speculation surrounding Viktor Gyokeres and Geovany Quenda. In his first press conference as Man United head coach, Amorim emphasized the importance of having "the final word" in player recruitment.
Manchester United has a specialist team in its football department that plays a significant role in player acquisition and sales. This team includes CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox. However, despite this robust structure, Amorim insists on having the ultimate say when it comes to recruitment decisions. The 39-year-old coach believes he is in a strong position to make these calls due to his extensive knowledge of the game and understanding of what the team needs.
Ruben Amorim, Manchester United manager, said:
"I think it has to be all together. Because if you are a coach that is coming here and already chose the players he could be wrong. Because this is a football club that will be here for a long time and you as a coach don't know that,"
"Everybody has to work together and for that we have to improve the process on recruitment, the data, the profile of players we want. But I have to have a strong position on that because I am the coach, I know how to play, so I think it's all together but the final word should be the manager.''
Potential transfers
Since Amorim took over from Erik ten Hag as permanent head coach at Old Trafford, there has been increased speculation about potential transfers from Sporting Lisbon. Among these are Viktor Gyokeres and Geovany Quenda.
Gyokeres has had an impressive season with Sporting Lisbon so far with 23 goals in just 18 matches making him a leading striker target for Man United. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Quenda is also high on their wishlist with Sporting Lisbon reportedly expecting Man United to make an offer for Quenda next year. Coach Amorim views him as an ideal fit for the right-sided wing-back role at Old Trafford due to his versatility; originally trained as an attacker but developed into a wing-back by Amorim himself.
Quenda’s transformation under Amorim’s guidance has seen him emerge as one of Europe’s breakthrough stars this term which further validates Amorim's interest in him. In addition to Gyokeres and Quenda, Ousmane Diomande is also heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. Reports suggest that Amorim has already initiated talks with the 20-year-old about a potential transfer.
Financial constraints
Despite the exciting prospects, Man United will have limited funds in January due to financial restrictions. However, it is believed that the club could attempt to bring in a new striker on a short-term basis. Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani has been mentioned as a genuine target.
Under Ruben Amorim’s leadership, Manchester United seems poised for some interesting changes in their squad. The coach’s insistence on having the final say on recruitment decisions indicates his commitment towards building a team that aligns with his vision for success at Old Trafford.
