Manchester United’s first-team squad fly from Manchester to Chicago on Tuesday ahead of another pre-season tour of the United States. Ruben Amorim’s side will play against West Ham United in New Jersey, Bournemouth in Chicago and Everton in Atlanta. The team’s training base will be in Chicago, but the tour will be far more than about the football results.
“It’s really important,” said Amorim when asked about the 12-day tour. “I think we need to create that bond between everybody, not just the staff. All the changes [of club staff] are stopping, so we need to live that as a group”.
United began their pre-season with a 0-0 draw against Leeds United in Stockholm on Saturday in front of a crowd of 45,000. It was hardly convincing, though one can’t read too much into the first pre-season friendly. But Amorim and United must be significantly better than last season. United finished 15th in the Premier League, their worst season since relegation in 1973/74. United struggled to score, didn’t win two consecutive league games and failed to convince with their coach’s new tactics.
The Portuguese was appointed as Erik ten Hag's replacement last November. He didn’t want to join mid-season, for he knew the challenge ahead, and he was nothing but brutally honest in his assessments at Old Trafford. He felt embarrassed by the support he received, but fans appreciated his honesty since it tallied with many of their views. Amorim communicates well, but the substantial support is not unconditional: United must start winning.
The team won’t play in European football competition for the first time since 2014/15, so Amorim and his staff will be able to focus primarily on Premier League games, but he also needed to bring in some of his own players.
New arrivals
The 20-time champions of England acted quickly when the transfer window opened, signing Wolves’ brilliant attacking midfielder Matheus Cunha, 25, triggering his £62.5 million release clause. He started on Saturday with Amorim saying: “I think Matheus Cunha showed what we need. That he is a player who when he receives the ball between the lines can be aggressive in the direction of the opponents.”
The next player to arrive at Old Trafford took longer than expected. On Monday, another 25-year-old attacking midfielder, Bryan Mbeumo, got his wish and sealed his move to United from Brentford, but the transfer was by no means straightforward.
United’s first offer of £45 million, plus £10 million in add-ons, was deemed insufficient. An improved offer of £55 million plus £7.5 million in add-ons was also rejected. Brentford were holding out for more than the £62.5 million United paid Wolves for Cunha, and could reasonably argue Mbeumo had better stats. Only Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins have scored more goals than Mbeumo in England over the past three years.
But United felt Brentford had moved their demands, at one point asking for £70 million. On Thursday, United offered £65 million to be paid in four instalments, plus £6 million in add-ons. That bid was finally accepted. There was rumoured interest from other clubs, yet Mbeumo was adamant he only wanted to join United. The Cameroon international travelled to Manchester on Sunday, signed on Monday and will travel with the squad to Chicago.
United were being patient and were not prepared to roll over to Brentford’s demands, but the trade-off was that every week he wasn’t at the club was a week when he wasn’t bedding in with his new teammates. It was also a week when Brentford were paying his wages. United have been criticised for overpaying for players and being soft in negotiations. Mbeumo missed only three minutes of Premier League football last season; Cunha was playing every week for Wolves when he wasn’t suspended.
Other targets are contingent on sales. Though not urgent, central defence is an area Amorim must address following the retirement of Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof's contract not being renewed. The injury records of Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw also make the case for strengthening. Leny Yoro, 19, and Ayden Heaven, 18, joined last season and have shown promise. Paraguayan full-back Diego Leon, also 18, signed in this transfer window and made his debut against Leeds on Saturday.
United's vision
It’s not unreasonable for United to hope for more this season. The coach is now settled, his staff too. Though he will need more, he’s had two transfer windows now to shape his squad. Key players are coming back from injury, while the existing players should be more used to his tactical system, which was introduced mid-season – when United’s form dropped to that of a team fighting relegation.
Amorim wanted proven Premier League players, those used to the technique, physicality and character of England’s top flight. And for good reason. Joshua Zirkzee, Mathijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte took time to adjust to the physical demands of the league after signing. Too often, United have signed players who found the demands a shock to the system. Not just playing in a tough new league, but at its biggest club with daily pressure, online praise and abuse.
Those players should be better adjusted for this season, as should Rasmus Hojlund, the expensive young striker who needs to score more goals if he stays at Old Trafford. He’s still only 22. Amad Diallo is 23, Ugarte and Zirkzee 24, Yoro 19, Kobbie Mainoo 20, Patrick Dorgu 20. United are going for younger players to pressure those established in their positions. If they don’t get in the team, then they could be sold for a profit. This is a key part of the club’s strategy.
Five players: Marcus Rashford, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho were surplus to requirements and told to train away from the first team. The club’s view is that all have made clear their desire to play elsewhere. Three of those players are on huge contracts, and few clubs could afford to sign them. Compromises will likely be needed on all sides, with loan moves probable. Further incoming transfers will likely be dependent on their departures, with Rashford the first to go, on loan to Barcelona. That frees up his substantial wages. United’s income from transfers so far will mostly come from sell-on fees from former players, with around £14 million from Anthony Elanga’s move from Nottingham Forest to Newcastle United and Alvaro Carreras switch from Benfica to Real Madrid.
United’s goalkeepers remain an issue. Though they had memorable games and saves, Andre Onana and his deputy Altay Bayinder were largely poor last season. Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez has been linked with a move to United, though nothing concrete. United are linked with multiple players each day since spurious transfer waffle translates to online hits and views. United do boast two talented young goalkeepers in Ely Harrison and Radek Vitec, who spent last season on loan in the Austrian first division. One or both will feature on the pre-season tour, as will the experienced and popular Tom Heaton.
While Amorim wants Premier League-ready players, United are also investing heavily in youth. Thanks to an excellent scouting network and personnel in London, the club have had considerable success there. United signed Chido Obi and Heaven from Arsenal – United’s first Premier League opponents on August 17. Both have already played first-team football, which is a superb advert for the pathway that exists from youth to first team for any potential new arrivals. United don’t always get their way: the club thought they’d signed Fulham prodigy Seth Ridgeon, 16, last week, only for the West London club to offer England’s under-17 captain more money than they have ever offered a youth player before.
The focus will be on who plays for the first team and how they do, with questions aplenty. Can Shaw stay fit, ditto Mason Mount? Can captain Bruno Fernandes replicate his epic form of last term? Can a goalkeeper find consistency? Will Casemiro, who looks leaner than a year ago, be effective or a weak point? But the biggest one around the first team is whether coach Amorim can get his team winning. Because he must.
