One member of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United squad won’t play another game for the Portuguese manager this season, it has been reported, as the former Sporting CP coach looks to place his mark on the Red Devils squad.
Could Man Utd be relegated?
A defeat in their most recent Premier League outing against Brighton left Ruben Amorim claiming that the current crop of Red Devils were the worst side in the club’s history, as they sit in 13th place in the top flight.
“In 10 games in the Premier League, we won two,” he told reporters after the latest defeat. “We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United. I know that you want headlines, but I’m saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that.”
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With just 26 points at this stage relegation remains a possibility, though in truth it is very unlikely, with the Red Devils still having a 10 point gap to Ipswich Town, who currently occupy the last spot in the relegation zone.
January seems unlikely to bring massive changes though, with the focus largely on outgoings this month as the club look to balance their books. Tyrell Malacia is free to leave on loan, while Marcus Rashford has been frozen out and is likely to leave before the end of the transfer window, or risk not playing football for six months.
Elsewhere, Alejandro Garnacho is the subject of strong speculation amid links to Serie A giants Napoli, who are looking to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this month, and some reports even claim that the Argentine has agreed personal terms over an Old Trafford exit. Meanwhile, another Man Utd forward appears to have played his last game for the club this season.
Manchester United agree loan deal, but no buy clause included
That comes as Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United forward Antony is set to complete a loan move to Real Betis after failing to impress Ruben Amorim, but will return to the club this summer as there is no buy option/clause in the agreement.
The Brazilian missed an open goal against Southampton in midweek when handed a rare opportunity to nail down a spot in Amorim’s side from the substitutes bench, having failed to start a Premier League game under the new Red Devils boss.
Though the £86m signing still has two and a half years left to run on his mammoth £200,000 a week deal at Old Trafford, there is now a “verbal agreement in place between all parties” for him to head to LaLiga for the second half of the season. The club have missed the opportunity to shift him for good and bring in a fee, which would help fund incoming deals.
Appearances
62
Goals
5
Assists
3
Yellow Cards
10
Cost per goal contribution
£10.75m
Antony will return to Manchester at the end of the campaign with two years left to run on his contract, and while Amorim clearly has plans to look elsewhere in attack, the more his contract ticks down the harder it will be for INEOS to bank a decent fee from his exit.
Will Manchester United be able to find a club willing to take the 24-year-old’s hefty wages off their books permanently in the summer?
