Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has stressed the importance of smarter recruitment to prevent the costly transfer mistakes that have contributed to the club’s decline.
Since taking over in November, the Portuguese coach has struggled to reverse United’s fortunes, with the team languishing in 15th place in the Premier League. His predecessor, Erik ten Hag, spent over £600 million ($760 million) on new signings over two years, yet the squad has failed to deliver results.
Financial constraints at Old Trafford meant Amorim had limited spending power in the January transfer window, with Danish defender Patrick Dorgu the only addition to the squad. Meanwhile, the club announced plans on Monday to cut up to 200 jobs as part of a “transformation plan” aimed at stabilising operations.
Speaking on Tuesday, Amorim acknowledged that those facing redundancy were victims of the club’s underperformance in recent years. He highlighted poor recruitment as a major factor behind United’s struggles.
The former Sporting Lisbon boss admitted, however, that words alone would not be enough to convince fans and staff of his ability to turn things around. “They are paying the price for our lack of success, and nothing I say will change that. What matters is action—we need to recruit better and avoid the mistakes of the past.”
One such misstep was the club’s £100 million investment in strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, both of whom have struggled to justify their price tags. Hojlund has managed just two Premier League goals this season, with his last strike in any competition coming against Viktoria Plzen on December 12.
However, Amorim defended the young Danish forward, suggesting the team’s lack of creativity was to blame. “I think it’s clear—we, as a team, are not helping Rasmus. We don’t create enough chances,” he explained.
“He has a lot of potential. If we improve our overall play, he will get more opportunities to score. He came here very young, and leading the line at such a big club is a huge responsibility. But he has the talent, he’s already shown that. This is more of a team issue than a Rasmus issue.”
