![\"Manchester](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2224109642.jpg\")
Amad (left) and Matheus Cunha (right) will be eyeing starts this weekend.(Image: Manchester United\/Manchester United.)<\/p>\nMan United will step up their pre-season preparations when they face Leeds United in their opening friendly on Saturday.<\/p>\n
George is a Senior Football Writer for the Manchester Evening News, mostly covering Manchester United. He previously worked for football.london before joining the MEN team in July 2021. As well as covering United, George is a Championship-enthusiast and co-hosts The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24), which you can find on all major podcast platforms.<\/p>\n
Amad (left) and Matheus Cunha (right) will be eyeing starts this weekend.(Image: Manchester United\/Manchester United.)<\/p>\n
Just 50 days after bringing the curtain down on a forgettable 2024\/25 campaign with a 3-1 win over Hong Kong in a meaningless friendly, Manchester United will be back in action on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Reds<\/a> will face Leeds United at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, in their opening pre-season friendly of the summer.<\/p>\n United will fulfil five friendlies ahead of their Premier League<\/a> opener against Arsenal on August 17, facing Leeds, West Ham United, Bournemouth, Everton and Fiorentina.<\/p>\n With the situation not expected to change between now and Saturday afternoon, head coach Ruben Amorim<\/a> is set to be only able to hand out unofficial debuts to just two new recruits against the Whites.<\/p>\n Matheus Cunha<\/a>, who arrived from Wolves for \u00a362.5million last month, is in line to make his first outing in a United shirt, likewise Diego Leon, who finalised his switch to Old Trafford from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n United had hoped to have conducted more business by now. They entered talks with Brentford to try and sign Bryan Mbeumo<\/a> at the beginning of June and negotiations are still ongoing.<\/p>\n Although United are not giving up hope of Mbeumo featuring on the upcoming tour of the United States, he is not going to be signed in time for their pre-season opener this weekend.<\/p>\n It means Cunha will be the only new attacking signing on show in the Swedish capital. As a result, all of the focus will be on him.<\/p>\n He has arrived at Old Trafford with the job of adding goals and creativity to United’s attack and is set to occupy the left-sided No.10 spot in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation.<\/p>\n The attacker, 26, scored 17 goals for Wolves last season and was one of the best players in the Premier League. He will bring the flair and dynamism to United’s attack that was so often missing last term.<\/p>\n United’s attack is built on two playmakers and a central striker. Width, of course, is provided by the two wing-backs, who are expected to get up the pitch and support the attackers as much as possible.<\/p>\n With Cunha a shoo-in to take one of the three starting spots in attack, the right-sided No.10 spot and berth reserved for a striker are up for grabs. But with United yet to make a breakthrough to sign Mbeumo and their striker search still ongoing, Amorim will have to make do with the resources he currently has available to him.<\/p>\n Fortunately, Amad<\/a> enjoyed his best season of his United career thus far last term, scoring 11 goals and providing ten assists. He is a guaranteed starter this term, but it remains to be seen what his primary position will be if United get Mbeumo through the door.<\/p>\n But with that particular saga showing no signs of coming to an end just yet, the Ivorian could flex his muscles as the right-sided No.10 against Leeds. Wholesale changes are highly likely to be made at half-time in Stockholm, meaning the most every player is likely to get this weekend is 45 minutes.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, if Amorim goes with a strong XI in one half and one made up predominantly of youngsters in the other, Amad will feature in the former. The Mbeumo delay is his chance to try and make the right-sided No.10 spot his own.<\/p>\n Through the middle, Amorim has two realistic options he can currently turn to in the form of Rasmus Hojlund<\/a> and Chido Obi. The two Danes experienced contrasting campaigns last season and will both be determined to generate some healthy competition.<\/p>\n Despite Obi’s<\/a> potential, he is still a tender 17-year-old. United need to manage him carefully and not put too much pressure on his young shoulders too soon.<\/p>\n Amorim will use pre-season to evaluate his development and see how much progress he believes he can make in the coming season. On the flip side, the United chief will need to use the upcoming warm up matches to try and inject some confidence and belief back into Hojlund’s veins.<\/p>\n The former Atalanta man regressed last season and a first full pre-season at United could be his last chance to salvage his Old Trafford career. With support from Cunha and Amad behind him, it could be the ideal tonic.<\/p>\n Man United’s 2025\/26 Away Shirt<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> \u00a385<\/p>\n Fanatics<\/p>\n![\"Matheus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2224647600.jpg\")
Matheus Cunha will be hungry to hit the ground running at Manchester United.(Image: Ash Donelon\/Manchester United via Getty Images.)<\/p>\n![\"Amad](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2217342473.jpg\")
Amad will be itching to build on last season’s success.(Image: James Gill – Danehouse\/Getty Images.)<\/p>\n![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1752734232_857_1_Untitled-9jpeg.jpg\")
<\/p>\n