Ruben Amorim wants Manchester United to target players who will add pace, power and athleticism to his midfield this summer, sources have told ESPN, as he attempts to rebuild the team following the club’s worst season in over 50 years.
United are guaranteed to record their lowest top-flight finish since being relegated from the top division in 1973-74 and could even end the campaign in seventeenth position — one place above the relegation zone — if Tottenham Hotspur enjoy a better result at home to Brighton on Sunday than United achieve against Champions League-chasing Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
Wednesday’s Europa League final defeat against Spurs in Bilbao has confirmed that United will not participate in European competition next season and, as a consequence, the club will miss out on the prospect of a £100 million ($134.2m) financial boost that would have accompanied a place in the Champions League by virtue of winning the Europa League.
But despite the significant impact on United’s ability to overhaul their squad this summer, Amorim has been told that he will be backed to make changes and the club are already close to sealing a £62.5 million deal for Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.
United also want to sign Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap, who is available to clubs who trigger his £30 million release clause, but sources have said that Chelsea are attempting to beat United to the 22-year-old’s signature.
And while bolstering United’s attacking department is Amorim’s priority with his team scoring just 42 goals in 37 Premier League games this season, sources have said that the former Sporting CP coach has made it clear to the club’s recruitment team that he wants greater energy and mobility in midfield due to concerns that his existing options lack the pace, power and athleticism required to compete in the Premier League.
Sources have said that Amorim went into the Europa League final worried about his team’s ability to match Spurs physically in Bilbao and those fears were confirmed in midfield and attack.
And although United had reached the Europa League final without a losing a game against non-Premier League opposition, their domestic frailties — United have only beaten relegated Ipswich and Leicester City in the league since the end of January — resurfaced against Spurs.
But with United facing a schedule consisting solely of domestic fixtures next season, Amorim wants his team to possess the athleticism required to compete against Premier League sides that he believes has been lacking since arriving as head coach last November.
