Why United fans should back Ruben Amorim player overhaul

Sports
Okezie Omorogie
May 25, 2025
37

Manchester United head coach, Rúben Amorim. Photo Credit- Goal.com

As the final whistle blew on Manchester United’s 2024/25 Premier League campaign, a disheartening 16th-place finish with 39 points from 38 matches, fans at Old Trafford were left grappling with a season of shattered expectations. The Europa League final loss to Tottenham Hotspur on May 21, 2025, despite Bruno Fernandes’ tireless efforts, was a bitter pill, marking United’s worst competitive showing in 50 years. However, amidst the gloom, a beacon of hope emerges in manager Ruben Amorim. Appointed in November 2024, the 40-year-old Portuguese tactician has already transformed United’s European fortunes, guiding them to the finals. Now, with a reported £200m war chest and plans for a squad overhaul, Amorim is set to reshape United’s future. This piece is set to explore why United fans should rally behind Amorim’s vision for a player overhaul, highlighting his tactical brilliance, track record of redemption, and alignment with the club’s long-term ambitions.

Amorim’s tactical vision is made for success

Amorim’s arrival at United was a statement of intent from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group, who saw the former Sporting CP boss as the architect to revive a sleeping giant. His 3-4-2-1 formation, shifting to a 4-4-2 press or 5-4-1 low block, has already borne fruit in Europe, with a 7-1 aggregate rout of Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals showcasing his counterattacking prowess. Fernandes’ 35 goal contributions, and Amad Diallo’s resurgence thrive in Amorim’s system, which emphasizes high pressing and set-piece efficiency.

Amorim has a proven track record of redemption

The success of Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP; winning two Primeira Liga titles (2021, 2024) and two League Cups in four years proves his ability to transform underperforming teams. Taking over a Sporting side that hadn’t won the league in 19 years, he implemented a 3-4-3 system, turning players like Pedro Goncalves (23 goals in 2020/21) and Viktor Gyokeres (29 goals in 2023/24) into stars. His youth development, with 60% of Sporting’s 2024 squad academy graduates, aligns with United’s storied tradition of promoting talents like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

This could address United’s systemic issues

United’s 2024/25 collapse; 18 losses, a club-record nine home defeats, and a -12 goal difference is due to an aging, injury-riddled squad and tactical misalignment. The injury crisis, with De Ligt, Martinez (out for the season), Luke Shaw, and Zirkzee, left Amorim reliant on makeshift defenses, conceding over seven set-piece goals. Rashford’s inconsistency and Casemiro’s declining mobility highlight a squad ill-suited to Amorim’s top-level style.

Financial plan without Champions League football

Missing Champions League football for 2025/26, costing £100m in revenue, and a 25% wage cut triggered by United’s 16th-place finish, demand fiscal discipline. Amorim’s overhaul aligns with Ratcliffe’s vision of a leaner, sustainable United, avoiding the £1.67bn spent since 2012 with little return. Selling high-earners like Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho frees up money that is enough to guarantee the signature of players like Matheus Cunha and Gyokeres, enabling investments in players that are determined to give their best to the club and at all times.

A cultural reset for Old Trafford

Amorim’s overhaul isn’t just about players, it’s a cultural reset. United’s weak personalities, as sports enthusiasts across the globe have criticized, crumbles under pressure, with nine home losses reflecting a lack of fight. Amorim’s Sporting teams were defined by resilience, winning 81% of games after trailing. His insistence on “hungry” players, targets a mentality shift, with signings like Cunha, who can run through defenses and utilize spaces, embodies this culture.

Counterarguments: Patience vs risk

Well!!! the reasons justified above may prove solid for fans to drop their support behind Amorim’s philosophy for next season but do not expect all fingers to be equal. Skeptics argue that fans should temper expectations, citing Amorim’s 6 wins in 20 league games (30% win rate) since November 2024. Overhauling a squad mid-rebuild risks instability, especially with Fernandes’ potential £100m move to Al-Hilal. Keeping veterans like Casemiro or Maguire could stabilize a young squad, and fans on social media, warn that selling Rashford could backfire. United’s 2013 post-Ferguson decline shows the danger of quick change.

However, clinging to an underperforming team guarantees stagnation. Amorim’s 1.3 points per game at United, despite injuries, is higher than Erik Ten Hag’s final 0.9. Fernandes, at 30, may fetch £100m now but decline by 2027. Amorim’s Sporting success; two titles in three seasons, came after clearing out veterans like Joao Mario. With United’s worst-ever finish, the status quo is untenable, and Amorim’s “squad and mentality change” mantra is a concern that can be risky.

Conclusion

Manchester United fans have endured a season of despair, but Ruben Amorim offers a path to redemption. His tactical clarity, proven at Sporting, has already lifted United in Europe, and his overhaul, targeting Cunha and Silva promises a young, dynamic squad fit for his 3-4-2-1. Clearing deadwood like Rashford and Shaw aligns with financial realities and cultural renewal, similar to United’s bold 1995 youth revolution. Fans must trust Amorim’s vision, as his 1.85 points per game at Sporting and 60% youth integration suggest a dynasty in the making. The road to glory won’t be instant, but Amorim is the man to bring back the glory days.” United’s future is bright and fans should stand behind their manager and embrace the overhaul. Old Trafford’s revival starts now.