Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United’s summer transfer window shows INEOS are fully backing Ruben Amorim as the club’s head coach – but this support has little to do with any incoming signings, the former Manchester United defender reveals.
A Summer of Change
The Red Devils have spent well in excess of £200 million this summer to sign four senior stars – Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens. Diego Leon, 18, also arrived from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno, though this was a deal struck in January.
But it is the outgoing transfers which Ferdinand contends it’s proof of INEOS’s supportive pudding towards Amorim.
The idea of a ‘bomb squad’ is well-established in sporting circles, but is a term rarely heard at Old Trafford, where unwanted and undesirable players were allowed to continue about their business unimpeded in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise.
Amorim, with the full support of United’s executive structure, identified five players as members of his ‘bomb squad’ – Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Tyrell Malacia – with the group made to train separately from the first team and excluded from the pre-season tour of the United states.
Rashford and Garnacho’s issues with Amorim were well-established after public clashes, while the former Sporting manager had no interest in Sancho returning to Carrington – a player with a similar history under previous coaches. Antony and Malacia simply were not good enough for Premier League football.
The Red Devils were intent on finding permanent exits for each player as the club did not want to head into the new campaign with any in Amorim’s squad, even if the Portuguese coach signalled he would reintegrate them if new homes could not be found.
But as the English transfer market slammed shut on September 1, only one remained – Malacia, arguably the least ‘explosive’ of the five bomb squad members.
Antony returned to Real Betis in a £21.6m deal while Garnacho sealed a £40m switch to Chelsea. Rashford completed a ‘dream move’ to Barcelona on a season-long loan and Sancho joined Aston Villa in the same arrangement.
Four out of five ain’t bad, even if two are just temporary fixes – and Ferdinand is adamant it’s a cull which would not have happened under in previous years.
“I was happy that the manager is being able to make his mind up on things and the recruitment team are executing behind that,” the United legend states in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“They are backing the manager. If people were thinking there were any doubts about the club backing the manager or Amorim being at the football club, it’s only going to be his decision whether Onana stays or Lammens comes in. It’s a great signing in that respect. Whether you think Onana should have stayed or not is irrelevant. The manager has made his mind up. He played (Altay) Bayindir early on and said he’s in because of football reasons – that was a big statement from the manager and his intentions of what he wanted to do with Onana.
“In years gone by, say we wanted six players to leave the football club – Onana being one of them – I would argue that minimum three to four of them would have stayed. That wouldn’t have helped anybody, the player or the club.
“As important as the ones that came in and upped the levels, it was as important to get out the players who were deemed not right for the club for whatever reason. They’ve done magnificently well.
“Yes, they are only loans most of them, but to clear the decks of those players was as powerful as bringing in good players.”
A Combined United and City XI
Ferdinand was asked who he would included from Amorim’s squad in a “combined United and City XI” – with the 46-year-old identifying just two guaranteed starters, as well as two other prospects.
“Bruno (Fernandes),” Ferdinand states. “[And] I put Leny Yoro in there. I think he is going to be a standout this year.” But the former England international also believes two new signings would be in contention: “Mbeumo probably gets in there now. Cunha might have a chance.”
Ferdinand admits “City have got a better squad than us” at the moment – “I think that’s a fact. I don’t think many people would argue with that – but reiterates United had a positive summer window and “hopefully we’ll see the benefits of that by the end of the season.”
“We needed more pace and players who can execute a transition both ways; more durability, more ability to keep pace with teams. They have addressed that, definitely in the forward areas.”
It’s the players United have let go which could have the greatest impact on the team’s fortunes this season if Ferdinand’s analysis is correct, however, with Amorim having rid the dressing room of player who were either not good enough or did not care enough – sometimes both.
Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images
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