Manchester United failed to land £55M star this summer; Amorim’s personal push goes unrewarded

United have also been linked with Antoine Semenyo during a busy window. According to the Transfers Podcast, Amorim invited the Bournemouth winger to dinner to get to know him better. Bournemouth had quoted a price tag of £55m for the 25-year-old Ghanaian, and are said to have asked for up to £70m at times.

Semenyo scored 11 goals and provided six assists in the Premier League last season, boosting his value exponentially. There were talks, meetings, but United eventually opted for Cunha and Mbeumo, and Semenyo stayed at Bournemouth. United probably thought it was not worth the risk on that amount. However, many supporters feel that losing such a great talent could be a cause of regret in the long run.

What should have been done?

Amorim inviting Semenyo to dinner was clearly a well-thought-out move. The Portuguese’s coaching philosophy has always emphasized on mental strength and team culture. His move shows that he does not rely only on statistics and videos but wants to test the player as a human being. Such decisions can strengthen balance and mutual trust in the team.

Now if we talk about the transfer fee, £55m is not less for any player, but in the current market, it does not seem completely unrealistic either. United spent £62.5m on Cunha and £65m on Mbeumo in this window alone. So it’s natural for fans to question why £55m was too much for Semenyo. Bournemouth were tight-lipped about their player’s price, and United ultimately spent their money in a different direction. If Mbeumo performs better than what Semenyo does this season, then there will be no more questions.

Sometimes picking the right player depends not just on money but on the coach’s plans. Amorim may believe that Cunha and Mbeumo are better fits for his team. Only time will tell if this decision will prove to be correct or not, but what is certain is that United’s moves this summer have raised both expectations and questions. Questions are also being raised over Amorim’s position as the board’s confidence is not completely certain despite the Burnley win. So it will be interesting to see in the coming months how both the new player and the manager deal with this pressure and what direction they take the team in.