At times it looked like it wouldn’t happen, but Ruben Amorim has made it to a year in charge of Manchester United.
After the sacking of Erik ten Hag, Man Utd announced on November 1 last year that Amorim would become their new head coach, starting work 10 days later once he finished his Sporting CP tenure. But it hasn’t been plain sailing for Amorim at Old Trafford since then.
Only recently has the Portuguese tactician been able to steer United towards consecutive positive results in the Premier League. They finished 15th under his watch last season and simply have to keep improving from here.
To give themselves a decent chance, they boosted their squad in the summer with a handful of new signings. But their work evolving Amorim’s squad isn’t yet complete.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has suggested Amorim will be given three years to prove himself, so if the co-owner keeps his word, the head coach will still be in situ this time next year too, ready to celebrate a second anniversary of his appointment.
With two transfer windows to go before then, what might Man Utd’s best XI look like this time next year?
GK – Senne Lammens
Disappointed by the performances of Andre Onana, United faced a goalkeeping transfer dilemma this summer. Ultimately, they chose to look to the future and signed Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
Amorim has been patient with the Belgian so far, but he is starting to look like his new first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Altay Bayindir.
Next summer, United will need to work out what to do with Onana after his loan spell at Trabzonspor, but it’s unlikely they’d be reverting to him as a starter.
As long as Lammens doesn’t make too many mistakes over the course of the season, he looks set to be entrusted with the regular starting duties in goal for the long term, having signed a contract until 2030.
There could yet be scope for a more senior keeper to come in and replace him, with Bayindir then making way, but United will be managing their budget carefully and assessing what they’ve already got first.
RCB – Leny Yoro
The defender that United hope will be one of their figureheads for many years, Yoro has been settling into a role on the right-hand side of a back three.
After beating competition from Real Madrid to sign the Frenchman last year, United tied him down to a long-term contract until 2029.
Comfortable on either side of the back three that Amorim favours, Yoro can carve out a defined future for himself on his more natural right-hand side.
CB – Matthijs de Ligt
Despite joining United to link up with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, De Ligt has become a cornerstone of Amorim’s lineups recently.
Generally, the Dutch defender has been stationed as the central defender in the back three, not missing a minute so far this Premier League season.
At the age of 26, the once highly-touted De Ligt is approaching what should be the prime of his career, and it seems as if he’s stabilising his form in time to enjoy it in a settled role with United.
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LCB – Jarrad Branthwaite
Upgrading at left centre-back would be a luxury for United rather than a necessity, depending on how Lisandro Martinez recovers from his latest injury setback.
He has every chance of fighting for his place, but it can’t be denied that a dream target for United remains Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.
So far, they’ve failed to prise him away, with Everton securing him to a new contract in the summer. However, there will reportedly be a release clause active in 2026.
The price will be high, but if United find it reasonable enough and can afford it, the pathway to their dream signing could finally be cleared.
If Branthwaite is out of reach, though, Martinez will likely continue as the main left-sided centre-back.
RWB – Amad Diallo
Although he can also be an option in behind the striker, Amad has gained more gametime as a right wing-back so far this season.
While he’s definitely more ‘wing’ than ‘back’, he has the traits to make that role his own niche in Amorim’s system.
Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui will likely still be around as more defensive options, but at the age of 23, Amad is ready to take the next steps up in his career and will be aiming to put the pressure on for regular starts by virtue of his performances.
Amad Diallo rescued Man Utd against Southampton
CM – Adam Wharton
United are dreaming of a midfield transformation in 2026, with sources explaining their plan to sign two new players in the department – ideally one in January and one in the summer.
The preference at first would be someone with Premier League experience, with the likes of Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson on the shortlist.
But Baleba struggled to impress at Old Trafford when visiting with Brighton recently and Forest’s valuation of Anderson is extremely high.
TEAMtalk’s Dean Jones recently named Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as the player suspected to be the preferred target for United as things stand, although he won’t be easy to buy either.
One of the best English midfielders in the Premier League, Wharton originally hails from Lancashire and could return to the north west with United if they get their way.
A player who can dictate the tempo like he can would be a major boost to Amorim’s midfield, where Manuel Ugarte is struggling to convince, Kobbie Mainoo is unfavoured and Casemiro isn’t getting any younger.
CM – Angelo Stiller
The other midfielder United could face a serious dilemma over next year is their captain, Bruno Fernandes.
The role Amorim has been using him in recently doesn’t get the best out of him, but on paper, he remains one of United’s best players – if not the best.
Fernandes has vowed not to make a decision on his club future until after the World Cup, but there’s reportedly a clause in his contract that could lead to him leaving for a foreign club.
Should United get their wish of signing a second midfielder, one candidate who has been heavily tipped for a move is Stuttgart’s Germany international, Stiller.
Jason Wilcox is said to be driving United’s interest in the 24-year-old, who would be more likely to move next summer than in January.
He won’t be too pricey, either, since his release clause will stand at around £35m.
LWB – Antonee Robinson
The left wing-back role is starting to stand out as one United could do with an upgrade in. If only they still had Alvaro Carreras…
Patrick Dorgu was the first signing of the Amorim era but the step up from Lecce to Man Utd is substantial and the jury is still out on whether he’ll make it as a success.
Come 2026, there could be scope for United to strengthen with a more senior left-back.
Right now, it’s too early to nail down who the candidates could be. There have been links with Inter’s Federico Dimarco, but he wants to stay with his boyhood club.
Someone else who’s been namechecked in the media is Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who would bring some proven Premier League quality.
That said, he will turn 29 next summer and still with two years of contract remaining, so it remains to be seen if United would still see him as an ideal profile.
Their scouts will have to keep their eyes on which players emerge as standout left wing-backs over the course of the season before making a more informed decision.
AM – Bryan Mbeumo
United transformed their attack this summer with three new signings who should set them up for the next few years.
Of the new triple threat, the player who’s made the better early impression has been Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford to become the new right-sided attacking midfielder in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 shape.
From his first 10 games, Mbeumo has scored five goals for United. He’s still only 26, so if he can keep this up, he should be a threat over the coming years.
Man Utd stars Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, manager Ruben Amorim
Man Utd stars Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, manager Ruben Amorim
AM – Matheus Cunha
Operating alongside Mbeumo and in behind the main striker is Cunha, who has been more of a slow burner since his switch from Wolves.
It took until his ninth appearance for Cunha to score his first goal for United, but now that he’s broken his duck, he’ll be aiming to make more of an impact.
Like Mbeumo, Cunha arrived with Premier League experience and is 26 years old, expecting to spend his prime years at Old Trafford.
CF – Benjamin Sesko
United capped off their attacking rebuild by signing Sesko as their new centre-forward, deciding against going for a more experienced option.
It’s now over to the Slovenian to showcase his worth and justify United’s decision to pick out a player with long-term potential up front, just as they tried with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee before only to be underwhelmed.
Sesko has only scored twice from his first 10 games for United, but time will be on his side to step up – and besides, he arrived on the back of better seasons than Hojlund or Zirkzee before their moves.
If Sesko doesn’t hit the mark, there might be calls for United to sign a more proven goalscorer – in fact, they might need a reliable veteran to back him up anyway, moving Zirkzee on – but this season will be practically all his to solidify his status.
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