Man Utd in dreamland after ‘major signing’ says yes to January transfer – and it’s thanks to Ruben Amorim

Man Utd in dreamland after ‘major signing’ says yes to January transfer – and it’s thanks to Ruben Amorim

According to a rumor, a wing-back who is “perfect” for Ruben Amorim is eager to join Manchester United in January, and the club feels the same way.

Everything save one component is now in place for a significant January transfer.

Man Utd has dropped four straight games, and Ruben Amorim hasn’t been able to improve the team’s performance yet.

That shouldn’t be shocking, though, as Amorim’s inherited squad is completely out of alignment with his 3-4-3 formation and tactical requirements.

The absence of specialized options for the wing-back positions is arguably United’s biggest squad weakness right now. Gary Neville, a great of United, recently outlined why the Red Devils’ first priority in the transfer market must be signing of wing backs.

“If you don’t have the wing-backs functioning up and down, that are able to attack and defend equally as good – and there aren’t many of those around by the way because there aren’t many teams who play wing-backs – then you’re going to struggle,” said Neville.

“So you need two quite unique players in those wide areas and I think that’s the starting point.

“That’s nothing against [Noussair] Mazraoui and [Diogo] Dalot, they’re very willing and doing the best job that they can. But to me they’re the two areas [that need addressing] in this system.”

And according to a fresh update from the i paper, Man Utd could make left wing-back, Nuno Mendes, the first major signing of the Amorim era.

Their report revealed contract talks between Mendes and club side PSG have ‘broken down.’ Mendes is contracted to PSG for another 18 months, though in lieu of the player’s camp upping their salary demands, PSG are now shopping the left-sided defender around.

PSG are willing to cash in on Mendes while they still can and the 22-year-old is in Man Utd’s sights.

Mendes previously played under Amorim at Sporting CP prior to his move to Paris and per the report, he’s seen as the ‘perfect fit’ for Amorim’s left wing-back role at Old Trafford.

Man Utd are ‘keen’ on striking a deal with PSG in January and even more encouragingly for United fans, it’s noted Mendes ‘wants to reunite with Ruben Amorim at Man Utd.’

But while Man Utd want Mendes, Mendes wants Man Utd, and PSG are willing to sell, there is one rather obvious issue that must be addressed before a transfer can happen…

Man Utd must sell before they buy
On the back of spending in excess of £180m last summer, Man Utd are not flush with cash for the winter window.

Indeed, the i paper noted that while all the pieces for a Mendes to Man Utd transfer are in place, the small matter of raising the capital to sign the player must be contended with.

As such, Man Utd must raise money through player sales in order to reunite Mendes with Amorim in Manchester.

One player who could free up enough funds through just his own sale is Marcus Rashford. A separate report from The Times claimed Amorim and the United hierarchy have greenlit Rashford’s sale.

An alternative would be to sign Mendes on a six-month loan that contains an option/obligation to buy. That would allow Man Utd to offset paying the transfer fee needed to sign Mendes until the summer.

Whether PSG would be open to that kind of arrangement is as yet unclear