Manchester United are set to back Ruben Amorim for the longer run, Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirmed in a recent interview, and after a win at Liverpool last weekend, it is fair to say that the Portuguese will have considerable backing to prove himself at the club.
Fichajes has reported that Man United are planning another spending spree during the January transfer window with Athletic Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet and Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande on their radar ahead of winter.
According to the source, Amorim is set to be granted a £105 million budget to spend on the duo as he switches his attention to rebuilding the midfield and defence next, having acquired a number of offensive starts over the course of the preceded summer.
£105 million enough to make two key signings
Oihan Sancet will likely cost Manchester United close to £60 million, although it remains to be seen if Athletic Bilbao are prepared to let go of the 25-year-old midway through the season, especially as his contract with them runs until 2032.
He promises to be a solid signing for the Red Devils but given that Athletic Club are doing well in La Liga and also playing in the Champions League, there is a high possibility that his purchase will not be a successful proposition during the winter.
Meanwhile, Ousmane Diomande’s future could take care of itself in January as he enters the last 18 months of his contract with Sporting Lisbon, and in order to retain some bargaining power over the 21-year-old, they may let him go sooner rather than later.
If Man United can offer approximately £45 million for Diomande, they would feel that they have done good business with signing an incredibly talented central defender with the potential to become one of the world’s best a few years down the line.
Sancet’s signing is more vital for United, however, considering their lack of depth and quality in midfield, whereas Diomande is more of a long-term investment and a possible replacement for Harry Maguire, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Whether the board is prepared to wait for the Athletic midfielder until next summer will be interesting to see, though for the time being, it isn’t known yet whether or not United have any alternatives in mind heading into January.
