After his appointment last month, Ruben Amorim is the latest Manchester United manager tasked with ending the club’s decade wait for a Premier League title.
The Red Devils haven’t finished top of the table since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign at the helm way back in 2012/13 – an unthinkable time period given their success under the Scotsman.
Various managers such as David Moyes, José Mourinho, and Louis van Gaal have all tried to fill the void at Old Trafford, winning multiple cup competitions but failing to secure the biggest trophy in English football.
Such a responsibility now falls to the 39-year-old, but he will need time to get his ideas across to the first-team if they are to be a success during his tenure in the North West.
There’s no denying that the side is glittered with stars, but he may wish that the hierarchy decided to keep numerous players who would’ve aided his attempts for success at the Theatre of Dreams.
Manchester United’s departures in the summer of 2024
The transfer window of the summer just gone would be Erik ten Hag’s last as United boss before his dismissal at the end of October.
During such a period, he offloaded various players, including academy graduate Scott McTominay, who ended his 22-year affiliation with the club, joining Napoli for £25m.
The Scottish international has wasted no time in impressing in Serie A, scoring three times in his first 12 outings, potentially seeing his former employers regret their decision, having the quality at both ends of the pitch – something which Amorim could have loved.
Jadon Sancho is another who was forced out the door, after the relationship between him and Ten Hag became untenable after a bust-up between the pair during the 2023/24 season.
He subsequently joined Premier League rivals Chelsea on loan with an obligation to buy, registering six goal contributions in his first 10 matches for the Blues, following in McTominay’s footsteps in making the Red Devils regret their decision.
However, it was the permanent sale of one player that appeared to be the biggest blunder, with his ability undoubtedly making him the ideal fit for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
The former United ace who has outscored Amad in the Premier League
Ivorian star Amad Diallo has been one of the players to thrive in a new role under the new boss, switching from his attacking role to a more defensive wing-back position.
However, he’s still managed to notch four assists in his four starts since the arrival of the former Portuguese international, but failing to score, with his Premier League tally for the season sitting at just one.
Such a figure has seen former United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka outscore him after his summer move to West Ham United for just £15m.
The 27-year-old has scored twice in his first 14 outings for Julen Lopetegui’s side, often being the shining light within the Hammers side despite their dismal start to the ongoing season.
Wan-Bissaka, who’s previously been dubbed as “one of the best defensive right-backs” by Mark Goldbridge, has thrived since his move, able to showcase his talents at both ends of the pitch with regular game time – something he wasn’t getting at United.
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Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s stats for West Ham in the Premier League (2024/25) |
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Statistics |
Tally |
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Games played |
14 |
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Goals scored |
2 |
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Pass accuracy |
83% |
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Successful dribbles |
22 |
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Tackle success rate |
73% |
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Duels won |
62 |
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Recoveries |
64 |
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Stats via FotMob |
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The Red Devils paid £50m for his services in the summer of 2019, losing £35m on their mammoth investment, potentially going down as another player who they offloaded way too prematurely.
His tally of goals from the current campaign has already seen him match his record at Old Trafford, doing so in 175 fewer matches, looking more of a threat going forward, which was often his biggest concern in Manchester.
His defensive quality, given his impressive tackle success rate, could have made him a great option as part of Amorim’s back three, but unfortunately, it’s another case of what could’ve been had they kept hold of the Englishman.
However, their loss is West Ham’s gain, with Lopetegui now having a hugely talented player at his disposal after the Red Devils’ blunder in allowing him to leave.
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