Manchester United: Ruben Amorim says players will not leave in January unless they are replaced
Manchester United Head coach Ruben Amorim will not allow any players to leave in the January transfer window unless new players arrive.
Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee want to have the chance to play more regularly in the second half of the season. Mainoo still wants to leave on loan, while Zirkzee has been linked with a return to Italy.
However, although his squad will be strengthened with captain Bruno Fernandes returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui returning to fitness in the middle of next month, Amorim does not believe he has enough players in his squad to cope with the reduction in numbers.
“If we don’t make substitutions it will be difficult for someone to leave the club,” he said.
“We have the team, we are short of something that could happen even with a full squad.
“We are a club with great responsibility. We deal with all these problems and [the media’s] In my mind, in everyone’s mind, we have to win every game. It’s not important. There’s no excuse.”
Amorim will be without seven senior players for the Boxing Day match against Newcastle.
Defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire will not be able to play in the match where Mainoo is away from the fields due to his calf problem.
Amorim has already said it is possible United could sign someone in January, but it won’t be Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who is set to join Manchester City.
In theory, an upgrade in midfield to replace Zirzkee or Mainoo could improve United as they chase European places in the second half of the season.
However, from a financial perspective, losing Mainoo may not mean much considering whoever comes in will be paid three to four times the 20-year-old’s current salary.
Unless Mainoo returns as soon as possible, 18-year-old England international Jack Fletcher will manage the midfield competition for Casemiro, Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte over the Christmas and New Year period.
