Ruben Amorim and Ineos have come together to reshape Manchester United’s transfer strategy heading into this summer window.
It is no secret that United’s recruitment over the past decade has been poor, with too many signings failing to meet expectations at Old Trafford.
However, in the last 18 months, there has been a clear improvement. Every new arrival since then has contributed positively to the squad.
Ineos are addressing legacy issues from the Glazer era by moving on players who were handed oversized contracts despite not delivering on the pitch.
United’s approach to transfers has shifted, a change Amorim has addressed by explaining its underlying reasons.
United fans have grown frustrated with expensive signings failing to deliver, and the Portuguese coach has spent much of this summer trying to move on unwanted players. Jadon Sancho is one of the best examples.
The club overlooked concerns about the British winger’s attitude when they brought him in from Borussia Dortmund, and that decision backfired when he fell out with Erik ten Hag and made public comments against the club.
Amorim and Ineos are now placing greater emphasis on the character of potential signings before making any final decisions.
Speaking with club media, Amorim said: “It is a key point in our way of doing things now.
“It’s not just how they play. It’s really important how they play of course, because that is their job, but their character is really important.”
“We took a lot of time to know the players and talk with everybody before we brought players into our group.”
“That is going to be a rule and will be massive in our decision to sign a player.”
Last week, Luke Shaw spoke about how toxic things had become at United, and Amorim has been working to change the mood around the club.
The Portuguese manager has not hesitated to move players out of the squad if he felt they were not contributing in a positive way, and United have even brought in a new culture chief to support those efforts.
One of the new signings, Matheus Cunha, was already praised by captain Bruno Fernandes for his attitude and work rate. Bryan Mbeumo is similarly seen as someone who can help raise standards through his work ethic and leadership.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!