Man United’s squad ill-fitted for Amorim’s vision as exit talk grows

EVERYTHING always seems clearer in the morning, and in the cold grey light of Thursday, the outlook for Manchester United was bleak.

While Tottenham face a complex calculation — balancing the euphoria of a first European trophy in 41 years against their worst league season in terms of games lost — Manchester United’s equation is starker.

Rúben Amorim will only play one way. He is absolutely, uncompromisingly, and irrevocably committed to the 3-4-2-1 formation. Liverpool considered him, assessed their squad, realised the two were incompatible, appointed Arne Slot instead — and won the league. Manchester United looked at their squad, recoiled in horror, and seemingly concluded it was such a mess that no manager’s philosophy could possibly fit. There was a dissenting voice in Dan Ashworth, but at the court of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, reasoned objections are as welcome as a free lunch.

This is where Ratcliffe deserves some credit. Where others saw chaos, he found a pattern. It turns out this squad does have a unifying theme, and Amorim’s appointment revealed it: none of them can play 3-4-2-1.

The Europa League final was a mesmerisingly dreadful match. Tottenham averaged 52 seconds between completed passes, yet still won with relative ease. Almost every one of United’s few chances — Rasmus Højlund’s effort cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven and Bruno Fernandes’ second-half header that went wide — came from Spurs’ mistakes.

Amad Diallo showed some invention in the first half but faded after the break. Alejandro Garnacho had one brief burst. And that was it. Despite having 72 percent possession, United were left relying on flashes of individual brilliance from young forwards and Tottenham’s errors.

It turns out United’s unbeaten run in Europe until Wednesday was misleading. Casemiro and Harry Maguire may thrive when given time on the ball, but against Premier League-level opposition, they struggled — as they have all season.

One can’t help but recall Fernandes’ comment after United narrowly beat Ipswich in February: Amorim, he said, had been shocked by how good a newly promoted, relegation-threatened side could be. There are no Estrela Amadoras or Gil Vicentes in English football; the Premier League is relentlessly demanding in a way no other league is. Financial disparities may exist, but the wealth of the league ensures that even its lower-tier teams are of a high standard. That, of course, is how United and Spurs ended up in the Europa League final in the first place.

And so United face a dilemma. If they stick with Amorim, the squad will need a complete overhaul. Of the team that played in Bilbao, how many are suited to a 3-4-2-1? Leny Yoro and Patrick Dorgu, perhaps. Diallo, maybe. Mason Mount and Fernandes, possibly — though neither showed much on Wednesday night.

Such a transformation would require hundreds of millions of pounds — funds United simply do not have. Judging by Ratcliffe’s recent comments, even Champions League qualification wouldn’t have unlocked vast resources. Without European football at all, budgets will be tight. And besides, which top player would want to join United now?

The only appeal of Old Trafford seems to be the boost players get after leaving. Scott McTominay could win Serie A if Napoli beat Cagliari on Friday. Marcus Rashford has been revitalised at Aston Villa. Antony can’t stop scoring for Real Betis, and either he or Jadon Sancho will lift the Conference League next week. The contrast with Kobbie Mainoo — last season’s FA Cup final hero, now a peripheral figure — is stark.

In the days before financial fair play and sustainability rules, United might have spent their way out of trouble. That option is no longer available. This will be a long, slow rebuild. Unless there’s a miraculous injection of public funding, even a new stadium — while potentially boosting revenue — will be a financial burden in the short term.

So the question facing United is clear: do they place their faith in Amorim and gradually build a squad to suit his philosophy, accepting that many of their preferred signings may now be out of reach? Or do they pivot to a more flexible manager who might be able to get more out of the current squad?

The problem is, almost no one seems to want to stay. Amorim and Fernandes have both said they would be willing to leave if it’s in the club’s best interests — the manager even offering to go without a payoff, which is hardly a cryptic message. Garnacho described the season as “sh*t” and hinted he’d be open to offers. Luke Shaw said every player must ask themselves whether they truly want to be there. Honestly, why would they?

For United, the question is how much they believe in Amorim. Because if he is to fix this, it won’t be quick.— Guardian Football