Ruben Amorim won’t make a signing in a key position despite two players from that area of the squad leaving Manchester United this summer, with the manager placing his faith in a youngster instead.
Man Utd’s summer transfer plans are already in full swing, with the club intending to activate the release clauses in Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap’s deals with Wolves and Ipswich Town respectively.
Cunha can be signed for £62.5m, while Delap – once Ipswich’s relegation is confirmed – will cost £30m.
Both players are forwards, with Man Utd aiming to add much greater firepower in the very early stages of the window.
Moves in other positions will come later, with goalkeeper, right wing-back and central midfield under the microscope.
A new signing at centre-back has also been rumoured to be on the agenda given Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are both leaving via free agency.
But according to The Sun, Amorim will inform the club’s recruitment team there is no need to sign a new centre-half despite the fact he’ll be two men light next season.
The report claimed Amorim is ‘understood to believe there is no need for further recruitment at centre-half, despite the imminent departures of out of contract Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof.’
Amorim puts faith in Man Utd youngster
Man Utd operate with a back three in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. As such, the need for excellent strength in depth at centre-back is greater at Man Utd than at clubs who only feature two centre-backs in their starting line-up.
Once Evans and Lindelof depart, Amorim’s specialist options will narrow to Harry Maguire, Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro and Lisandro Martinez. The latter is currently sidelined after suffering an ACL injury in early-February.
Full-back Noussair Mazraoui has occupied the right centre-back berth of late, while Luke Shaw stood up tall in the left centre-back role under previous manager Erik ten Hag at times.
There is also a wildcard in the equation in the form of 18-year-old Ayden Heaven who if The Sun are correct, can expect to assume greater responsibility next year.
United pulled off a major coup in the winter window when luring Heaven away from Arsenal. Despite his tender age, Heaven was quickly thrust into Amorim’s starting eleven at a time when United’s defenders were riddled with injuries and the teenager did not disappoint.
Speaking after Heaven impressed in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal on March 9, Amorim suggested Heaven is already “quite complete.”
“If he continues like that he is going to play,” said Amorim. “Of course he is young and he didn’t play much this season, maybe only 45 minutes for the Under-21s, then a few minutes here and now a full game.
“I really like his confidence. I like his pace, I think he is good in defending the box and I think he is quite complete.
“But he has a lot of work to do in the Premier League. We will face a different kind of player and he will be tested in a different kind of way, so we are trying to manage all of this because he is still really young.”
Latest Man Utd news – Garnacho’s next club / ‘Agreed’ transfer debunked / Rashford latest
✈️ Likely next Garnacho club named with Man Utd sale ON
❌ ‘Agreed’ Man Utd signing NOT happening, with cheaper star pursued instead
❗️ Rashford rejects Tottenham and new demand puts Aston Villa, Man Utd deal in serious danger
QUIZ: How well do you know Ruben Amorim? ⬇️
