With Ruben Amorim looking to build his back three at Old Trafford, Manchester United are now reportedly willing to submit a bid worth over £30m to sign a current Premier League defender in 2025.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils are at the beginning of what they will be desperately hoping to be a successful rebuild after so many false dawns. Whether it’s been Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho or Erik ten Hag, no manager has been able to transform United back into the juggernaut they once were under Sir Alex Ferguson. Now, that challenge has fallen the way of Amorim.
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The former Sporting CP boss is still just 39 years old and remains one of the best young managers around. Whether his inexperience will show remains to be seen, but those at Old Trafford simply cannot afford for another appointment to go wrong.
Whilst sporting director Dan Ashworth and INEOS won’t want to repeat their mistakes by simply revisiting their manager’s past players, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres stand out enough to suggest that he wouldn’t follow the same path under Amorim as Antony did under Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
That said, the Red Devils’ first task could yet centre more around their new manager’s backline. According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are now willing to submit a bid worth €40m (£33m) to sign Marc Guehi in 2025.
Attempting to use the fact that Guehi’s current Crystal Palace contract comes to an end in 2026, Manchester United could bypass his hefty reported price tag of over €60m (£50m) to land a bargain deal next summer.
Another centre-back should be on United’s agenda, and top target Guehi represents a wise choice given his Premier League experience and potentially cheaper price tag compared to what was set when Newcastle United came calling last summer.
"Great" Guehi can complete Amorim's back three
Implementing a 3-4-2-1 formation, adding another centre-back to Amorim’s ranks should be near the top of INEOS’s to-do list at Old Trafford amid doubts over whether all of United’s current options can play in a back three.
Signing Guehi would quickly ease those concerns given the fact that he played in a back three for England at Euro 2024 to great success – becoming one of the tournament’s standout defenders.
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Defensive partner John Stones was one of many full of praise for Guehi in last summer’s tournament, telling BBC Radio Five Live (as relayed by Metro): “So good, so good.
“For him to come in, not having felt the feelings around tournament football before or these kinds of games, all kinds of different emotions that come with it that you’ve never experienced before. He’s handled [it] so well, his performances have been great.
“I said to him when we’re in this, or whoever’s playing or whoever I’m playing with, I’m your right arm, you are my left. We do this together. I’ve got your back and he’s bought into that so well.”
Now, when 2025 arrives, it could be Stones’ club rivals Manchester United that benefit the most from Guehi’s talent.