Ruben Amorim offers Manchester United ‘bomb squad' a way back

Times

25-07-2025

Ruben Amorim has offered Manchester United's 'bomb squad' a way back into the group and insisted they will not be sold on the cheap.
Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho and Antony have all been left behind in Manchester as United take part in a pre-season tour to the United States after claims from the club that those players, and Marcus Rashford, who has joined Barcelona on loan, told them they wanted to leave.
Despite that position, with the players training alone in Manchester at the club's Carrington training base, Amorim said he has no issue integrating them back into the main group and they will only be sold for the right fee.
'Some players have to find a new place to have more space in the team. Other players clearly show that they want a new challenge and they want new teams. So we are just allowing these players to have time to think and to decide. If you reach a point that they have to join the team, they will join the team because they are our players. And I know for a fact that Omar [Berrada, the chief executive] and Jason [Wilcox, the director of football] have a number for these players,' Amorim said. 'If they don't reach that number, they will be Manchester United players. No doubts about that. I understand that the clubs are maybe waiting for the last minute, but they can have surprises. And I'm ready to receive the players.
'They have more competition. If you want to play in the World Cup next year you need to play so I'm really happy with that because I have more options. If they have to fight each other to play, for me it's perfect.'
United have spent nearly £130million on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford respectively, but still haven't managed to bring in a specialist No9 despite the chronic lack of goals last season.
The club managed only 44 goals in 38 Premier League games but Amorim, who is preparing his team to play West Ham United on Saturday in New Jersey, is happy to go into the new campaign without a new striker with hope that Cunha and Mbeumo can bring goals to his side.
'I think our club in the moment, we need to be really careful when we sign a player. So if we have to start the season with this squad, I'm happy. Because all the players that are here want to be here. With Brian and Matheus, we are clearly a better team.' Amorim said. 'They [Cunha and Mbeumo] can play as a striker. We have Josh [Zirkzee], we have Rasmus [Hojlund], so our focus is to improve the connection between them.'
For Cunha, who joined for £62.5million from Wolves, the pressure will be on to bring goals to the team and, after a dismal 15th-placed finish for United in the previous campaign, if they don't hit the ground running at the start of this season the scrutiny will be intense.
But the playmaker, who said he had options to move to clubs competing in the Champions League, is not fazed by the spotlight.
'I really think the pressure on this club is not really pressure. It's a privilege, because this is one of the biggest clubs in the world. When we will come to me and show all the projects that I have to put the club in the perfect times again, I feel like it's a challenge that I want to do for my career,' Cunha said. 'Of course, like a striker, everyone thinks about scoring goals. It's the most important thing in football. I completely understand the situation [about the lack of goals last season]. It can be part of my name to come in, goals, assists, and then everything around this. I feel comfortable. I hope I can do my best.'