Manchester United legends David Beckham and Gary Neville have each called for Ruben Amorim to be significantly backed in the transfer market, despite him overseeing the worst Premier League season in club history.
Amorim took over from Erik ten Hag in November following a successful spell at Sporting Lisbon but has been unable to oversee an upturn in domestic fortunes.
United can finish no higher in 14th in the Premier League this season having suffered 18 defeats in the competition.
The saving grace, however, has been the Europa League, in which United have progressed to the final. Amorim’s men will face Tottenham in Bilbao on Wednesday with silverware and a place in the Champions League next season on the line.
Yet Beckham wants the club to stand by Amorim and invest substantially to sign players who fit the 3-4-2-1 system that has often appeared an awkward fit for the current squad.
“It has not been a great season and I think that’s being kind,” Beckham told The Athletic. “When there hasn’t been stability at the club, it shows.
“We were lucky to be part of the most stable club with the same manager, owner, fans and players there for many years. We know when you have stability within the club, you have success. Simple as that.
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“I believe that we have a very good manager now. I believe that we have a lot of people who are trying to bring stability around the club. What our fans care about most, though, is what happens on the field and what is happening on the field, people are not liking — our fans are not liking.
“But the one thing is, our supporters turn up week after week. There are 74,000 fans in that stadium no matter what, no matter how we’re playing or who’s playing. The manager knows that, the manager understands that. It’s why I like Ruben and I think he has got a real opportunity here.
“He’s a young manager with success already under his belt and great experience for his age. So I think he will make the changes that he needs to make.
“I think Ruben definitely needs to be backed in bringing in the players he wants but I actually don’t know how possible it is. I don’t speak to [minority owner] Jim [Ratcliffe] that often, only from time to time.
“Ruben needs to be backed as a manager to bring in his team and his philosophy; he’s trying that already but I think once he brings his team in and his players, then you’ll see something different.”
United are said to be in a position to make signings in the upcoming transfer window and are reported to be close to a deal for Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.
However, sales may need to be made to maximise United’s headroom. Star player Bruno Fernandes has been linked with a move away, while sales of homegrown talents such as Kobbie Mainoo, which would crucially count as ‘pure profit’ for PSR purposes, have also been mooted.
Beckham, though, is against the idea of both.
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“I’d like to think you wouldn’t have to sell your captain [Fernandes]. He has been exceptional,” he added. “We’ve all been critical at times of some United players — but when we needed someone to step up, he has done it.
“I also hate [the idea of] any young player who has grown up at United leaving the club. We shouldn’t be selling players purely for financial reasons.
“It should be what they are doing on the field and if they’re not performing, there’s always a chance — we all knew that, I knew that. If I wasn’t performing on the pitch, it didn’t matter what I’d done in the past or what I was going to do in the future; there was a good chance that I was either going to get left on the bench, or I was going to get sold.
“I’d like to think that Manchester United don’t sell players that have grown up at the club, understand and love the club. I don’t want to see players leave Manchester United if they care about United like I do.”
Neville echoed Beckham’s sentiments about the level of investment required.
“It needs a big overhaul in the summer. Five or six players minimum to be able to change the direction of how he [Amorim] wants to play,” Neville said.
“There’s at least two forwards, a central midfield player, definitely two wing backs and another centre-back. They need six players minimum.
“Ruben has been very good at identifying the players he wants out of the club; that’s really clear to everybody. The club’s job now is to get them out and get replacements in that he likes and wants in his team.”
