Man United’s exiled ‘bomb squad’ are giving Ruben Amorim a big problem | OneFootball

It is seven weeks since Ruben Amorim established the Manchester United bomb squad. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Antony were exiled from the first team, training separately, arriving at 5pm after their teammates had gone home and denied places on the pre-season tour to the United States.

Each, United said, had expressed a wish to leave. But in the subsequent seven weeks, only Rashford has, getting the move to Barcelona he wanted. The bomb squad seems to have been bumped back up to five with the addition of Rasmus Hojlund, a player who said last month he wanted to stay and fight for his place but who, since then, Amorim barely used in pre-season and who was denied a place on the bench for the season opener against Arsenal.

All of which gives United work to do in the final 10 days of the transfer window. Their £200m outlay on new forwards has not been offset by any sales – with Rashford departing on loan and the incoming money instead reflecting sell-on clauses for Anthony Elanga and Alvaro Carreras – and comparisons can be drawn. Liverpool, far better sellers in recent years, have already brought in £200m this summer.

There is, though, the question if United’s increasingly infamous five could have done more to find themselves new clubs. They are stuck in limbo. Amorim feels they have to take some responsibility for securing their exits.

“I know that is not a good thing to have players in this situation but it’s clear they want to play in a different club,” said Amorim; Hojlund is entitled to argue that does not apply to him, as a boyhood United fan whose preference is to remain at Old Trafford. And yet, as impasses have extended, Amorim has admitted he may have to reappraise his stance in September and reintegrate someone. Logically, they will not all go now.

“So we try to arrange everything for both parties to be happy,” Amorim added. “So I have to try to imagine to have the training with the guys that I think are going to be the future and the other guys are training and preparing for the next chapter. When the window is closed, it’s a different story. When the window is closed, we have to receive the players and in a new life, anything can happen.”

open image in gallery

Ruben Amorim still has players at the club who want to leave (PA Wire)

But before the window closes, there could be deals to be struck. The four attackers may be unwanted by United but they have attracted interest. The issues lie in finances, with wages and price tags perhaps deterrents, with United trying to strike good deals, with suitors perhaps thinking their bargaining position is weaker the nearer it gets to the September 2 deadline.

Real Betis remains the likeliest destination for Antony following his successful loan last season. Whether they can put together a package to buy the second most expensive signing in United’s history remains to be seen. Another loan could be likelier.

Chelsea are still keen on Garnacho but, whereas United could have priced him at £60m or £70m a year ago, the Londoners will want to pay substantially less this summer. Yet there have been a host of wingers who have commanded fees around £50m this window and Chelsea have signed Jamie Gittens and sold Noni Madueke, both for similar sums. That could be a benchmark for United.

Yet, in each case, the same could have been said weeks ago. Hojlund’s situation has shifted more, and not merely after Benjamin Sesko’s arrival seems to have rendered him surplus to requirements. AC Milan wanted the Dane, but now their attentions have shifted to Victor Boniface.

open image in gallery

Rasmus Hojlund appears to have joined the initially exiled players (PA Wire)

But with Romelu Lukaku injured, Napoli now lead the pursuit of him; the Italian champions are looking for a striker, remember the promise Hojlund showed in Serie A with Atalanta and could reunite him with the Old Trafford old boy turned Scudetto winner, Scott McTominay.

The Italian eye for a bargain has been piqued by Sancho’s availability. Roma like him; United want a sale, to recoup some of his hefty purchase price rather than a third successive loan. Yet the salary of one of the best-paid players at Old Trafford can be off-putting. A move is not completely dead but of all the United exiles, Sancho might have most need to compromise on his wage demands to find a new employer. Especially, perhaps, if that taker is not in the Turkish or Saudi Arabian leagues.

For now, it seems an indictment of United that they have contrived to spend £200m on new forwards, in Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Sesko, and bring in nothing when three of those available cost more than £200m, in the £85m buy Antony, the £73m signing Sancho and Hojlund, whose £64m fee could have gone up to £72m with add-ons and perhaps won’t now.

Yet that scarcely feels a triumph. If United have a difficult balancing act, to both hold firm on valuations and yet negotiate better than they have in the past, to offload the discarded and spare Amorim the awkward task of bringing them back, five players have decisions to make.

Because, come early September, Amorim’s bomb squad could still be a five-a-side team or disbanded completely as they have found new clubs.