Amorim wanted his own Donnarumma & Haaland but Man Utd got Altay & Sesko instead
Manchester United have been here before. And they are here again. Ruben Amorim was brought in from Sporting Lisbon to replace the floundering Erik ten Hag but his Red Devils side have sunk to a new low since his appointment.
Sunday’s chastening defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad kept United in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
It is, in fairness, just four matches into the new season, but with Chelsea travelling to Old Trafford next weekend and no European football on the cards, it’s crucial that an upswing is made and quickly.
Already dumped from the Carabao Cup by League Two’s Grimsby Town, United haven’t quite collapsed this term but they do need to right the wrongs, especially since Amorim’s win percentage is the lowest of any manager at the club in 80 years.
After finishing 15th last season and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, the summer transfer window felt crucial, but much has been left to be desired.
Man United's missed summer targets
Man United did address a series of issues in the summer transfer market, welcoming Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, arguably the Premier League’s two standout forwards beneath the Champions League zone last season.
However, INEOS failed to sign a centre-midfielder, and scrambled to replace Rasmus Hojlund at number nine, eventually landing on Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig, signing him for a £74m fee.
Sesko ghosted throughout United’s recent drubbing by Man City, and while the talent is undeniable, it’s clear there’s much work to be done.
Does Amorim have the time on his side to nurture the Slovenian’s skillset over the coming months, years?
The deadline day signing of goalkeeper Senne Lammens adds further cause for optimism, with Andre Onana now gone, but Altay Bayındır stood between the sticks against Pep Guardiola’s side, still trusted despite his wobbles, two years on from his £4m move from Feyenoord in Turkey.
Lammens and Sesko are both 23, and both first-teamers might bloom into superstars at Old Trafford.
However, Amorim needs a fast turnaround, and he may well be frustrated that his side didn’t manage to sign two of their biggest targets instead of the developing talents.
Amorim wanted his own Donnarumma and Haaland at United
Both of those targets, coincidentally, remain at Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez.
At the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Martinez bid farewell to Villa Park. Teary-eyed, the distinguished shot-stopper appeared to be gearing up for a move away, and Man United were heavily linked.
But it wasn’t to be, with United opting to settle for Bayindir and sign Lammens instead. Thus, the Argentina hero is staying in the Midlands.
No doubt, Amorim has got his hands on an exciting up-and-comer, but Martinez is “genuinely world-class”, as said by Sky Sports’ Dan Bardell, and has 198 Premier League appearances and a World Cup gold medal to his name.
The 32-year-old’s distribution is good, but it’s his shot-stopping and command in the box that draws the plaudits. With Gigi Donnarumma standing in the opposing box at the weekend – another United summer transfer target – it’s perhaps frustrating to some that an established keeper has not been welcomed to Amorim’s project.
Watkins might also have been a top-class addition. The 29-year-old isn’t on the level of the finest striker in the league, the brace-bagging Erling Haaland, but he’s certainly got the skills to lead the line with confidence at Man United, actually described as “one of the best 9s in the world” by Statman Dave.
The England striker was reportedly really keen on joining Man United this summer, but ultimately, that wasn’t the track INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe headed down.
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Still, a powerful runner with sharp intelligence and silky link-up play, Watkins could have been an invaluable addition to this United side, certainly bearing the experience and know-how to have made more of himself against City, whereas Sesko let the game pass him by.
Players like Haaland and Donnarumma make up the benchmark for a team like Amorim’s United, chasing something greater than they’ve achieved in recent years.
But it’s easier said than done, and there’s little to suggest that the signings made have what it takes to propel the club back into the ascendancy with the speed that is required.
Man United’s strategy has been tailored toward a new emphasis on Prem-proven players, and though they haven’t clicked into gear yet, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have both shown flashes of brilliance so far this season; they look well-oiled and comfortable within the English game.
Sesko is a raw striker, and that’s why Jason Wilcox and co may be kicking themselves for failing to sign someone like Watkins. Older the Three Lions star may be, but he knows his game inside and out, and he’s a high-level goalscorer.
24/25
38
16 (8)
23/24
37
19 (13)
22/23
37
15 (6)
21/22
35
11 (2)
20/21
37
14 (5)
Viktor Gyokeres is the same, and did so well under Amorim’s wing at Sporting Lisbon. You can certainly see why the Portuguese tactician wanted to sign him this summer.
Ultimately, United have to cope with the options at their disposal, and while the likes of Lammens and Sesko have plenty of potential yet untapped, there’s no denying that this was not a season that could afford a transitional period.
Instant results are still expected, and Martinez and Watkins, both so accomplished in the Premier League, might have proved the icing on the cake to achieve that.
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