Ruben Amorim will be facing an impossible task in 2025-26 if the Red Devils don't speed up their summer recruitment drive
Manchester United needed to completely overhaul Ruben Amorim's squad after the worst season in the club's modern history. That much was obvious after the Red Devils followed up their 15th-placed finish in the Premier League with a dreadful 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final, which saw them miss out on European qualification for the first time in a decade.
But here we are, less than four weeks away from United's blockbuster 2025-26 season opener against Arsenal, and only three new faces have arrived at Old Trafford: former Wolves star Matheus Cunha, teenage full-back Diego Leon and, after finally completing his long-awaited £71 million ($96m) switch from Brentford on Monday, Bryan Mbeumo.
That trio, however, won't cover more than just the foundations of Amorim's rebuild. The Portuguese coach couldn't hide his frustration after seeing his disjointed team held to a 0-0 draw by Leeds in their first pre-season friendly on Saturday, as he admitted to : "We have a lot to improve, the speed of the game, all of the details. We need to improve." That simply cannot happen if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS do not grant him the tools.
Cunha and Mbeumo will both add much-needed quality in the final third, but there is so much more work to be done if the Red Devils are to start climbing back towards the top. Below, GOAL runs through the six moves United still need to make before the summer window slams shut, beginning with a raid on Aston Villa…
Getty Images SportGo all out for Watkins
United's biggest problem under Amorim has been a lack of goals. They were outscored by all but four Premier League teams last term, and posted a shot conversion rate of just 12.3 percent, the second-lowest behind relegated Southampton.
Cunha and Mbeumo should both help to boost that number, but United also need a ruthless No.9 to complete their new-look attack. The confidence-stricken Rasmus Hojlund is just not up to it, and United are clearly aware of that, with reporting that they have drawn up a shortlist of replacements.
Viktor Gyokeres was on that list, having previously worked with Amorim at Sporting CP, but Arsenal are now on the verge of prising him away from the Portuguese champions. United have instead turned to Ollie Watkins, making initial inquiries with Aston Villa officials to explore the possibility of a deal for the England international, who is likely to set INEOS back another £60m ($81m).
That would be a small price to pay for something United have been missing since Robin van Persie's departure: a Premier League-proven No.9. Watkins has scored 75 goals in 185 league games for Villa to date, and only Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland among central strikers bettered his haul of 24 goal contributions across the 2024-25 campaign.
In addition to being an expert at getting in behind defences, Watkins is a deadly finisher with both feet and provides a genuine threat in the air. The 29-year-old has evolved into a superb all-round centre-forward under Unai Emery, and would finally give United the clinical edge needed to get over the line in tight games.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALDitch Onana for Martinez
United are not quite so hopeless defensively, but there is always a risk of implosion because of Andre Onana's presence between the sticks. Former United midfielder Nemanja Matic infamously called the Cameroonian "one of the worst goalkeepers" in the club's history, but that may not be harsh enough; none of his predecessors cost the team positive results with horrendous mistakes on such a consistent basis.
Amorim will be fighting a losing battle if Onana is still the No.1 when the new season kicks off. There is a chance that may not be the case, though, after reports emerged on Monday evening that United had failed in a loan bid to sign Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Martinez is a volatile character who is also prone to committing the occasional error, but he's a far safer pair of hands than Onana. In pure shot-stopping terms, the 32-year-old is up there with the very best in the business, and he commands his box with natural authority.
The World Cup winner is also a fierce competitor who demands the highest standards from those around him. United are woefully short of leadership figures of that ilk, and it has been reported that they could land Martinez for as little as £22m ($29m) due to a release clause in his contract. As such, they should just get the deal done on a permanent basis rather than trying to save money by signing him on loan.
Getty ImagesGet a midfield dictator
"We have a lack of pace. Especially in the middle of the park, you can feel it's hard to bring the ball," Amorim said after the friendly draw with Leeds last week, and that will have come as no surprise to the United faithful after they saw Casemiro's name in the starting XI.
The 33-year-old hasn't been able to keep up with the pace of top level matches for a while now, and it's something of a surprise that Real Madrid legend is not being offered up to reported suitors in Saudi Arabia on a silver platter as United bid to stay on the right side of the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Academy jewel Kobbie Mainoo fared only marginally better after coming on at half-time as concerns over his physicality continue to linger, while fellow substitute Manuel Ugarte showed plenty of endeavour but precious little quality.
Bruno Fernandes is still by far United's best player, and he can operate in a deep-lying role, but that means his attacking talents go to waste. Amorim has to target a traditional midfield dictator who can combine the best of Mainoo and Ugarte's abilities: technical prowess and relentless energy.
That role has become so important in the modern era, and we saw it perfected by Fernandes' Portugal colleague Vitinha during Paris Saint-Germain's run to Champions League glory last season. United need their own version of the rejuvenated ex-Wolves man; a press-resistant, masterful ball carrier who controls games with his passing range and ability to find space between the lines.
One man who might fit the bill is Valencia's Javi Guerra. The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks, and though he's far more raw than Vitinha at the age of 22, he could bring many of the same qualities to Amorim's side.
Getty Images SportSign a right-wing back
United's other problem position is at right-wing back, where Amad Diallo, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have all been deployed regularly by Amorim. Amad and Dalot both have plenty to offer going forward, but neither of them have strong defensive instincts, while Mazraoui is far better suited to a spot in the back three.
Until they sign a specialist to fill the role, opponents will continue to get far too much joy down the left against United. Enter, Daniel Munoz: the Crystal Palace talisman who was the driving force behind their stunning maiden FA Cup success.
It's baffling that the Red Devils have not been credited with an interest in Munoz yet, given Palace boss Oliver Glasner favours the same 3-4-3 formation as Amorim. The Colombian's incredible performance in the FA Cup final against Manchester City alone should have provided enough evidence for the Old Trafford recruitment team to launch a swoop for his services.
Munoz provided a brilliant assist for Eberechi Eze's winning goal after a lung-busting run forward and worked tirelessly to stifle the effectiveness of City trickster Jeremy Doku and promising academy star Nico O'Reilly. There are few better one-v-one defenders in the Premier League than Munoz because of his electric pace and impressive powers of anticipation, while his delivery from wide areas is also superb.
Palace tied Munoz to a contract extension until 2028 back in April, but United should at least try to test their resolve with an approach, especially after his recent comments on his future. "I want to play for the best teams in the world, but they haven't spoken to me directly," Munoz told Colombian channel earlier this month. "I dream and work every day to achieve it, and I hope it can happen as soon as possible. I hope it's in this window, but if not, I'm very happy at Crystal Palace."
